Rockman EXE Echoes
by Muphrid
Summary: What if Rockman had a foe he couldn't defeat? Could he be a hero when innocent blood marks his failures? Say he was born a human: as a navi, could he be a brother to Netto, a son to Yuuichirou? And if he could be human again, could he still love Roll?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Slow down, Netto! This isn't a race!"

The boy with the blue bandana chomped on a rice ball. "Good food should be eaten quickly, Meiru."

"I'm glad you like it," said the redhead, "but at this rate you'll choke!"

He devoured another rice ball. "How many did you bring?"

"A dozen."

Netto peeked around the picnic basket at the last box lunch. "There are only three left."

"And who do you think ate them all?"

"I did?"

"You did."

"Well…you're not that hungry, are you?"

"You think I brought all this food just for me?"

"Good point." A third (or rather, tenth) rice ball disappeared in his mouth.

"That doesn't mean you should have more!" Meiru protested.

"But I'm hungry!"

"You're always hungry!"

As their operators squabbled over lunch, Rockman and Roll sat atop the picnic blanket, projected (at a fraction of their virtual size) into the real world thanks to their Link PETs. When the four had arrived, the navis struggled to find an appealing view of the landscape—after all, they had blades of grass to compete with.

Then again, the view was not what they were here for.

As Netto and Meiru continued their arguing game (in Rockman's mind it was most certainly a _game_, one with simple rules: the first one to apologize loses; Netto would irritate Meiru, and Meiru would stockpile her anger for one spectacular outburst, and either Netto would get scared that he had pushed Meiru too far, or Meiru would explode and apologize), Rockman watched the kids at the playground below, and Roll slept beside him.

_It's a shame she's still tired, but she deserves a rest._

"Aup aup aup." A bipedal, virtual dog plopped himself next to Rockman and gnawed on a gigantic bone.

"Where did you get that, Rush?" Rockman said, but the virus paid him no heed. As the binary bone dropped to the ground with a thud, Rush bit and gnashed his teeth on every last square inch of it. In the battle of dog versus bone, however, this round was a draw. Or at best, it was a pyrrhic victory for Rush, who collapsed next to the digital femur on the way to dreamland.

"It's okay, Rush," Rockman said. "You deserve a rest, too."

They all deserved a rest, but for Rockman, this was rest enough. These were moments not to be missed.

"Hmm?" The pink navi in his arms yawned and stretched. She blinked, and her eyes cleared. And they met his gaze. "Rockman!"

No, _that_ was a moment not to be missed. That was a moment he hoped never to miss for the rest of his days.

"Is something wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing. Good morning, Roll-chan."

"It's still morning? I was worried I'd sleep through all of lunch."

"I'm surprised you slept through all of _that_."

Roll sprang to her feet and peered over the picnic basket. There, she bore witness to a flurry of finger-pointing, and she shrank from screeching voices. She scurried behind the picnic basket, back to Rockman's side. "Do you think—"

"Don't worry. Netto-kun's about to give up."

"Meiru-chan always wins."

"Always."

"You're just a pig!" Meiru cried.

"And you're just trying to get me fat!"

"You don't make it hard!"

"You don't have to feed me!"

"I wanted to go on a picnic!"

"A picnic is fine, but you don't have to bring food!"

"That's the point of a picnic! Are you saying you don't want to go on picnics with me?"

There was the trap. Netto's face paled as he fumbled for an answer. "I…didn't…say…"

"Good. Now sit!"

Netto hit the ground and sat upright, straight as a board. Stiff and tense, he could not have noticed Meiru's suppressed grin as she unpacked another box lunch. "Why don't you try the _takoyaki_?"

As expected, this snapped Netto out of his trace. He eyed the fried octopus dumpling as she raised it to his mouth. And before he could say anything in protest, his mouth was stuffed with it.

Not that he would protest against tasty food. "It's delicious, Meiru! How did you do it?"

As Roll and Meiru giggled, Rockman sighed. "Netto-kun, you're terribly predictable."

"I am not predictable, Rockman!" He swallowed another dumpling. "I'm…hungry."

"Hungry still!"

"Netto-kun? Meiru-chan?"

All eyes came off the food and the friendly ribbing and landed on the passer-by before them: a tall, stringy man he was, but his stood firm on the ground, as if rooted to the earth, as if nothing could move him.

"Nakamura-hakase!" Netto said. Rockman and the others stood to greet the professor. It was strange to see him so…calm. Even though the wind rustled through the trees, which swayed and bent under the force of the rushing air, Nakamura-hakase never wavered, like he had found his rock to stand on, to lean on.

Rockman knew something about that.

"Eh?" Roll said. "Imi-chan?"

A young navi sat perched atop Nakamura's shoulder. Dressed in white with a conical hat, her green hair flowed over her shoulders and to her feet. She cocked her head upon hearing her name. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"These are friends of mine," Nakamura said. "Hikari Netto and Rockman, Sakurai Meiru and Roll, and Rush. Say hello to everyone, Imi."

"Ah!" Imi said. "Good morning, everyone! It's nice to meet you!"

"It's nice to meet you, too, Imi-chan," Rockman said.


	2. Echo

**Chapter One: Echo**

**1**

_I wish these were battle chips._

Rockman thumbed through the list of titles and glanced down the unending shelves of music files.

_There must be some way to make sense of this._

And indeed there was. Just as battle chips had categories, had elements—fire, water, earth, electricity, or neutral—so did music: pop, disco, jazz, techno. But the elements of battle chips made sense; there was no way an Aqua Sword could be associated with the fire element. They were the antitheses of each other. Yet in music, the distinctions between these various categories could blur and crumble altogether. Rockman could handle Pachelbel's Canon played with electric guitars (if Netto had taste in music, Rockman might have recommended it), but did that make it classical or rock- and-roll? Or both?

Speaking of Roll…"Did you find anything, Rockman?" The pink navi carried a stack of files in her arms from her waist to her chin.

_That's a lot more than I could find._ "I'm not sure it's what you were looking for, Roll-chan."

"What's that? 'Trans-Siberian Orchestra'? Oh no, this is too—"

"Too much, uh, metal? It needs to be more classical for Meiru-chan?"

"Classical? Where did you get that idea?"

"I thought this was for Meiru-chan, for her piano."

"Oh no, this is for—" Her eyes flashed, and her mouth shut like a trap to catch the last word. "…well, this is for…it's for something else."

"What is it for, Roll-chan?"

"Well…"

Rockman had not endured a dilemma of musical taxonomy all for nothing. That would not do at all. "Roll-chan…"

"It's for a date!"

"A date?"

"A date."

"With who?"

"Well, it's for Meiru-chan and…and…"

"And Netto-kun."

"Exactly."

"What is she going to do? Invite him to her house and play music over dinner?"

"Well, I…haven't told her yet."

"You haven't what?"

"I haven't told her yet! I thought it would be a nice surprise."

"Roll-chan…"

"You don't think it's a good idea?"

"I didn't say that, but—"

"You don't think it's a good idea."

"…no."

Roll heaved the stack of files onto an empty shelf and sighed. "Meiru-chan was probably going to find out I spent her money anyway."

That look of dejection wrought a knot in Rockman's gut. Roll was easily excited, to be sure (perhaps too easily excited), but if that excitement fizzled out, it would sap her energy along with it. He had to intervene before she crashed.

"I could talk to Netto-kun when we get home, ask him to…" Just what could he ask him to do? Something like, ' Good morning, Netto-kun. After you go to school today, why don't you take your best friend out on a date?'

_If he doesn't tense up and stammer, "Eh? W-with M-meiru-chan?" he'll probably just go back to sleep and think it was a strange dream._

"It's all right, Rockman. I'm sure everything will be all right."

That was Roll for you. Irrepressible Roll.

"Shall we go?" she said. "I guess we don't need to waste anymore time here."

"Yeah, let's go."

Arm in arm, the pair walked to the entrance, bumping into three navis as they entered the store: one with slicing picks for hands, another with plastic explosives for armor, and a third with…a helmet. In fact, he was only a helmet. As navis go, Rockman had seen stranger: giant snakes, programs with drills for arms. But still, the three navis had entered the store with a purpose, and they didn't seem too friendly.

"Welcome." The clerk, a broad-shouldered navi named Sonicman, greeted the new customers without hesitation, but when his eyes met theirs, the speakers in his chest halted abruptly.

Roll tugged on Rockman's arm. "Something wrong?"

But Rockman's attention was on the incident unfolding in the store. Sonicman and the navis argued back and forth about something. The virtual glass of the storefront muffled the outgoing sound; Rockman watched the pantomime, however, as it grew more and more heated. Picks-for-hands flailed with his deadly spikes, and bombs-for-brains slammed his fist into the counter.

_This is bad. I have to go in there and settle this._

Rockman pulled the door open, and—

"I'm tired of your lies!" A double-sided pick plunged into Sonicman's chest. He stuttered and choked and collapsed to the floor behind the counter, but Pickman was far from satisfied with this feat. He hacked away at the counter while his cronies bashed and wrecked the shelves. "This store will burn!"

"What have you done?" Rockman cried. "Why did you attack Sonicman?"

"He's a liar," Pickman said. "He wants us to trash his store? We'll trash it. Just you watch."

"I won't! Rockbuster!" He locked his trademark buster onto Pickman. "Stop this. Stop this now!"

"Whirling Pick!" With a mind of their own, Pickman's hands detached from his body and hurled themselves forward in a death spin. Rockman lunged to the dirt. One pick lodged itself in the Rhythm and Blues section. The other clubbed his left shin. Rockman rose to his feet, favoring his leg and brushing away the stray particles of data that used to be his.

"You're not so tough, are you?" Pickman said. His picks returned to him like boomerangs; he was ready to strike again.

"Heart Slash!" The force of a thousand hearts pinned Pickman against the wall; the hearts sank into his chest detonated point-blank, blowing out the wall and catapulting Pickman to the dirt. "That'll teach you to attack Rockman!" Roll said.

But Pickman stumbled to his feet, supporting his weight with the picks. "We're not finished yet! Plasticman!"

"Bombs away!" Before she could think, a taut wire wrapped itself around Roll. The weighted ends circled her three times before the wire ran out.

The weights were bombs. BAM! BAM!

"Roll-chan!" Rockman scrambled to her side; her helmet was melting hot—it singed his gloves with one touch.

"It's all right; I'm okay," she said, but the grimace on her face and the charring on her armor said otherwise. "Look out!"

"Helmet Dive!" Catching sight of the rocket-propelled helmet that careened toward them, Rockman gathered Roll's limp form in his arms and disappeared in smoke and debris. The crater showed no trace of their remains.

"That'll teach you!" Pickman said. He turned back to the store. "What's this? What are you doing?" He marched behind the counter and cleared the navis that had gathered around Sonicman's body. "He doesn't deserve to live. Don't help him! If you help him, I will delete you myself!"

"Roll Arrow!" The arrow skewered Pickman's outstretched pick. The severed hand clunked on the floor, lifeless.

Pickman seethed at the loss of his right pick. "Do you two ever die? Plasticman! Helmetman!"

"Homing Helmet Dive!" A flying helmet, laden with explosives, hurtled toward Rockman and Roll. They ran, but it followed and plowed through the shelves. Rockman blasted it with his buster, but each shot ricocheted off harmlessly. Nothing could alter the helmet's trajectory; it was a missile now—a missile bearing straight for them. If he could do nothing to stop it and nothing to shake it, then Rockman had no other choice. He pulled Roll towards him, closer than they'd ever been, and he turned his back on the homing helmet. He could shield her from the blast.

"Rockman…"

He wanted to meet her gaze; after all, it could be the last time. Or he could've glanced over his shoulder at the incoming bomb and stared in the eyes of fate itself. Instead, he looked at the counter, where Sonicman had been.

But Sonicman wasn't there anymore. Someone else was there. She was tall. She wore white: a silky dress with green gloves. And green hair—the color of ferns, it flowed straight and smooth. But for all her beauty, her expression was stolid. She thrust her arm forward, as if to halt the bomb in its tracks.

"Mach Burst!"

The shockwaves emanated from her fingertips and propelled themselves forward, a rippling wave of energy. The blast knocked out the windows and toppled the walls, but Rockman's grip held. Even as debris and shrapnel cut at his back, he held. He held for Roll.

And it was quiet.

"Ahh, help me! Oh, my God, help me!"

"Rockman? Rockman, are you all right?"

"My ball! Where is my ball?"

Rockman ignored the voices. He looked at the register. The white navi leapt over the counter and knelt beside Pickman, who lay motionless on the floor.

"Who…who are you?" he said.

"Be quiet."

"What?"

Her hand morphed into a pick. "Be quiet!" In a single swing, the white navi impaled Pickman on the tip of his own pickaxe.

_No, wait! Who are you? _Rockman lunged forward, on his feet, but his legs gave way under his weight. He collapsed.

The white navi walked out of the store, alive and intact.

And in a million pieces.

—

"NETTO-KUN, WAKE UP!"

Errant sheets whipped through the air as Hikari Netto tossed and turned in bed. "Rockman! You don't have to be so loud!"

"IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T—"

"That's still loud!"

"Oops," Rockman whispered, but with the volume on its highest setting, it was a deafening whisper all the same. "Sorry, Netto-kun, but you should really wake up now."

"What time is it?"

"Time for school."

"Fine, fine." Netto yawned and rubbed his eyes. "How late will I be?"

"Not terribly if you hurry."

"Good enough." As pajamas soared across the room, Rockman took to sorting Netto's files. Three homework assignments—one for history (the naval battles of the Pacific in World War II; this one was the most complete, as Netto could instantly relate to any kind of battle, even if it wasn't net-battling), one for math (square roots and exponents; Netto had felt accomplished just to work one problem), and one for science (classification of rocks; fairly dull, but easy enough that even Netto couldn't fail…much).

"You should finish your homework before you go to bed, Netto-kun."

"I know, I know, but I was worried about my navi first."

This point Rockman could not begrudge him. In the aftermath of the music store battle, Netto rushed Rockman to the Science Labs, where Papa could fix him up post-haste. And indeed, Rockman could scarcely find a loose chunk of data on his person. It helps to have a great scientist for a father, doesn't it?

"You could have done homework while we were at the Science Labs," Rockman said.

"But, but…they're working on so many new things there! Meijin-san is creating a new Synchro Chip, you know."

"What is Papa working on?"

Netto blinked. "I don't know." He picked up his backpack and strapped the Link PET to his arm as usual. His navi shimmered to life, standing on his shoulder as miniature projection.

"Papa's not home a lot."

"Papa's got important work to do, Rockman. Don't worry."

_I can try not to worry, but I will anyway._ Rockman dropped the point, though, and went back to indexing. A tidy PET is a good PET, after all, and since Netto led a naturally cluttered life, it was only fitting that Rockman be there to clean up his messes. That much was the life and duty of a navi.

_Hmm? What's this? This wasn't here before._ "Netto-kun?"

"What is it, Rockman?"

"Do you know what 'Saito BAT' is?"

Netto hit the pavement and strode forward on his skates. "Saito BAT? What's that?"

"I found it in the PET. It wasn't there before."

"How did it get there?"

"I think Papa must have put it there."

"Must be a mistake. I think we can just delete it."

"I'm not so sure. Do you think it would be a good idea to drop by the Science Labs and see Papa about it?"

"We could just call."

"Would he answer?"

"Well…no."

"So we drop by after school."

"If you think so, Rockman."

"I think so."

"All right then." Netto looked ahead, where a redhead coasted on her scooter. "Meiru-chan! Meiru-chan, wait for me!"

"Netto, you're late. Again."

"I'm sorry. Rockman didn't get me up on time."

"I heard him wake you up from my house."

"…really?"

"Really."

Rockman disregarded the morning banter between the operators. "Good morning, Roll-chan."

"Good morning, Rockman!"

Rockman glanced past Roll, where another navi sat. "Good morning, Imi-chan."

**2**

"Ugh! Careful, Roll-chan!"

"I'm trying to be careful! Hold still!"

Rockman sat on the street as Roll massaged his back. One by one, she closed his wounds, but no doubt he had lost a lot of data from the blast. The data floated in the air as glowing particles and enveloped the ruined music store in a blue haze. The other navis from the store, the customers, lined up for treatment.

_Where did she go?_

Rockman studied the bystanders. Cardman, a walking house of cards (with holes from the blast), and his friend Rouletteman, who complained about having lost his roulette ball in the store somewhere. Another navi was covered in labyrinthine lines and designs; he was Mazeman. Another navi, a solid point of rock from head to toe, was Slateman. And then…

"It's Grove!"

Roll tightened her grip on his shoulder. "Don't move, Rockman! You're still hurt."

_Roll-chan acts a bit strange when we see Grove, doesn't she?_

From across the street, the purple navi limped toward Rockman and Roll. Her lavender petals—on her arms and head—were tattered and bent, but she paid them no heed. "That was very brave of you, Rockman, Roll-chan. Thank you for protecting us."

"You're injured, Grove," Rockman said. "You should get some help."

"I'll manage. It is a small price to pay for trying to save Sonicman."

"He was deleted?"

"I haven't seen him. I can't see how he could've lived."

A beat.

"Well, I should get back to Egami-san," Grove said. "Will either of you be dropping by Saloma's anytime soon? I'm sure Egami-san will be grateful for your bravery here."

With Roll conspicuously quiet, Rockman said, "That'd be very nice of her, thank you."

Grove nodded and departed.

"Is something wrong, Roll-chan?"

"Nothing. I think you can move now."

Though Roll eased him up, Rockman wavered on his feet, his legs unsteady. But it was passable; this would do long enough to get to Papa—

Step, slip, stumble, fall. Roll grabbed him by the waist, and Rockman's face came perilously close to meeting the pavement.

"Are you all right?"

But the voice was not Roll's. It was higher…and nearer. Rockman looked up from his slumped position and saw a little girl. A little girl navi. "Who are you?" he said.

"My name is Imi. I was…I was…"

"You were in the store?" Roll said.

"Yes."

Rockman regained his footing. She was so small. "It's amazing you weren't hurt."

"I'm…lucky that way."

"I guess so." Rockman frowned. There's something off about this girl. "I wouldn't stay here for long, Imi-chan. You should go back to your operator as soon as you can."

"My operator?"

"You don't have an operator?" Roll said.

"Not anymore."

"That's crazy! You're way too small to be an independent navi!"

"I…I manage."

"You can't manage! You're coming with me, Imi-chan. You can stay with Meiru-chan and me while we find you a new operator." Roll reached to take Imi by the wrist, but Imi recoiled.

"Please, please don't touch me." The little navi crept back once Roll retracted her hand, but she maintained her distance, never within an arm's reach.

"Did someone hurt you, Imi-chan? Did someone abuse you?"

"No, no! That's not it at all!"

Rockman intervened. "Imi-chan, if there's some way we can help, we'd like to."

The girl with the cone-shaped hat looked at them—no, looked through them. "I…I suppose—"

"Good, let's go, then. Meiru-chan—" Roll snuck her hand between Imi's fingers, but yet again, the girl sprung back in fright, lest any physical contact be made.

As the three of them walked, limped, and stumbled away from the disaster, Roll leaned next to Rockman. "What could be so terrible," she said, "that she doesn't want anyone to touch her?"

—

"Meiru-chan! Meiru-chan, it's time to wake up!"

Unlike Hikari Netto, Sakurai Meiru responded promptly to her navi's wake-up call. "Good morning, Roll."

"Good morning, Meiru-chan!"

Meiru glanced at the desk, where Roll's hologram—and another's—were projected. It was the other she was interested in. "She's still asleep?"

Roll nodded.

"She's a bit strange, isn't she?"

"Don't say that! She might hear you!"

"She's asleep."

"I know, but still! It's just that there's something wrong with her."

Meiru grinned. "You like being the mother navi figure, don't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Meiru-chan."

"Roll, you do, don't you?"

She glanced at Imi, who was indeed still asleep. "Yes…"

"I can tell. You seemed to enjoy having Trill around so much."

Indeed, taking care of Trill had been a joy for Roll. Granted, he'd been a bit of a puzzle, and protecting him proved no easy task, but he was _adorable_.

Not to mention it was convenient for her to be a mother figure to the little tyke while Rockman was the father figure. Granted, he might have had a bit more influence with the rascal, but surely no one could call themselves Trill's mother figure any more than Roll.

Well, let's just forget about Iris for a moment.

At any rate, Trill was adorable. _Adorable_ didn't fit for Imi. All last night, Imi had resisted and evaded any hint of a touch—from Roll, from Rush, from Rockman. Maybe otherwise she would've been adorable, but as it stood, Imi troubled Roll. Just what happened to the poor girl?

"Huh? Is something happening?" Imi sat up and collected herself, albeit slowly.

"Nothing's happening, Imi-chan. Good morning."

"Good morning."

_Even with her words she is distant._

"What's going to happen today?"

"Today, Meiru-chan is going to school."

"To school?"

"Do you know what school is, Imi-chan?"

"I know what school is."

_Okay, she knows what school is._ "Did your last operator go to school, too?"

"Can we not talk about that, Roll-san?"

"Sure, Imi-chan. Sure."

Meiru waited with one foot on her scooter outside her home, gazing at Netto's window.

"Netto-kun, wake up!"

Meiru groaned. "He's not waking up _now_, is he?"

A muffled response.

"In case you haven't—"

"What's going on?" Imi asked.

"Rockman is waking up his operator," Roll said.

"It's loud enough that we can hear it from here, on the street?"

Meiru rolled her eyes. "Netto is a heavy sleeper. Some things never change. I'm going to get started. He can catch up if he cares to."

Imi frowned. "Is Meiru-san upset?" she asked Roll.

"A little. Meiru-chan cares a great deal about Netto-kun."

"If she cares, then why is she upset?" Imi said.

"It's because she cares that she's upset."

Imi shook her head. "But that doesn't make sense! If she cares about him, she shouldn't be upset! She shouldn't!"

Meiru and Roll stared at Imi, who bowed her head.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I got a little excited."

Roll was quick to comfort the girl. "It's all right, Imi-chan, we—" But once again Imi rebuffed her touch, leaning away from Roll's outstretched hand.

"Imi-chan…"

"Meiru-chan! Meiru-chan, wait for me!"

As Meiru and Netto greeted each other (and not on the friendliest of terms), Rockman bade good morning to Roll and Imi. Given Imi's disinterest and Roll's concern, he picked up right away what the trouble was.

"Imi-chan, are you looking forward to school today?" Rockman asked her.

"I think I might go back to Internet City."

"What?" Roll said. "Imi-chan, you shouldn't. It could be dangerous! Remember yesterday?"

For the first time that morning, Imi smiled. "Don't worry, Roll-san. I'll be fine." With that, she dissolved and vanished.

—

Roll was trying; Imi knew that much. Imi couldn't blame her for trying, and she desperately sought her comfort, her protection. Not necessarily hers; anyone would do. But Roll seemed genuine enough. Maybe, if she touched Roll, her inner voice would be as calm and soothing as her real one.

No! No no no, she couldn't afford to give in to that temptation. There was far too much risk. Everyone she had met, everyone she had known, turned out to be crooked and twisted inside. _Even Roll-san has a dark side. We all do, don't we? I do._

On the streets of Internet City, Imi sat. She sat for hours, across the street from the music store, its ruins cordoned off in cautionary tape. The remnants of songs and symphonies lay in pieces, in discontinuous fragments that wouldn't play. They were no longer music; they were noise.

_Noise like my mind's noise._

She shook as the noise intensified. It rose like floodwater and threatened to sweep her away in its torrent, but she resisted; she grasped her only thread of conscious thought and clasped it firmly. _I am Imi. I am Imi and no one else._

But the voices--warped, demented, and confused—escalated in volume. They berated her. _'You're weak!' 'You're a monster!' 'Let me go!'_

_This was a mistake. I can't focus here; there's no one to keep me anchored._

"Are you all right?"

_Just stop! Just stop talking! Why don't you all stop?_

Touch. A hand, a white, gloved hand shook her and roused her. "Are you all right?"

The voice…the voice was so familiar. Wasn't it from her mind? How could it be real? Imi turned to face Cardman and his body of 52 cards, stacked and arranged in the form of a great cliff-side villa.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" asked Cardman.

"Yes, you do."

—

"Hold his feet!"

Cardman grabbed Sonicman's limp legs and steadied them. "What are you going to do?"

The eggplant navi extended her vines into Sonicman's wound. "The power of the earth can heal him…"

—

"From there, right?"

"Yes."

"I don't understand it," Cardman said. "We should've saved him. We _were_ saving him. It wasn't that bad."

"No, it wasn't."

"A terrible shame. It was so senseless."

"Not really."

Cardman huffed. "Well, I have errands to run. Do you…need something? I've got time."

"No, you don't."

"Is that right. Fine by me. Take care of yourself, kid. And here, why don't you take these?"

Cardman produced two playing cards—a pair of aces—and gave them to Imi.

"What for?"

"For when you need an ace in the hole. Or two."

Imi eyed Cardman as took a turn down an alleyway. It was a shortcut to the bank he took often. It was a long shortcut, and there were seldom other navis there. She knew this because he knew.

'_Imi, don't. There's been enough killing, please!'_

_You can't help me anymore, Masuyo-chan! I have to silence them. I have to silence them all. It wasn't good enough just to silence _him_._

She followed him into the alleyway. It didn't take him long to notice. "There something you want?"

"You tried to be nice to me."

"I like to think I _was_ nice to you. If I wasn't--"

"You're not really a nice navi."

"I'm not?"

"No, you're not." She took a step. "You say mean things to me."

"When did I—"

"You're doing it right now. You're calling me an evil little girl. A devil girl. A demon. You're telling me I should 'rot in the flames of hell and never see the light of day again.' You don't like being here. You don't like me."

"Being where?"

She tapped her temple. "Here."

"Uh-huh." Cardman turned around and continued on his way. "I'll be going now."

A deeper, womanly voice answered him. "No, you won't."

**3**

Hikari Yuuichirou-hakase was accustomed to long hours in the lab. Indeed, the Science Labs had become his home, bumping his two-story house in town to home-away-from-home status. Yuuichirou's staff had even cleaned out a janitor's closet to setup a makeshift bedroom for him.

Whether they did this out of loyalty to him or to poke fun at his workaholic habits was another story.

And recent days had only increased his workload. Under other circumstances, this might have stressed him to the limit. There was only so much work his superiors could slap on his plate without him breaking. He had a wife, after all (lest she be forgotten). A son, too. One son. A single, solitary son. Admittedly, he saw his son on a regular basis, as the work of a Net Savior is never done.

Seeing your son on a "regular basis" doesn't mean you see him in a meaningful context, though. In a way, it was worse than not seeing him at all. There was still the illusion that all was right with the world. They could forget that Yuuichirou was never home, that Haruka stayed up at night, every night, waiting for him to return to her, or that Netto needed a father who could do more than offer him a nifty new trick like a Style Change or a Soul Unison or Cross Fusion.

For now, however, Yuuichirou was content with forgetting. This was not a project handed to him by the powers-that-be. This was his project; this was his _baby_. This was the project that would make the Hikari household a _family_ again.

And the key lay behind the curtain. The curtain obscured a cylindrical tank. When Yuuichrio was frustrated or needed inspiration, he pulled the curtain back and laid eyes on his second son—no, his _first_ son.

It'd taken years for the technology to catch up, and they were long years, painful years. They were years when Yuuichirou wished he could see double, if only for a moment. After a decade of that waiting, Yuuichirou's hope dried up. He decided to give his son the only life he could.

He was Hikari Saito no more. He was Rockman EXE.

And yet, Yuuichirou's plan turned out more than successful. Netto and Rockman shared a bond far deeper than most operators and navis ever could. Together, they were without limits. They had defeated great evils of the cyber world and defended humanity dozens of times. They were invincible.

But at the end of the day, they were still operator and navi. They were brothers-in-arms, but not brothers as they should have been, as they were meant to be.

But Yuuichirou had the tools to change that. One was the boy in the tank. That was the easy part. Take some DNA, throw in some time warps to accelerate growth (it worked for Barrel, after all), and presto! You have yourself an age-appropriate clone.

The other was Saito BAT. That was the hard part. Drawing up a program to emulate the projected behavior of a person? No problem. Trying to drive a human body with a program? That could take some doing. At the very least, it would require some…finagling.

This was one of the days where the finagling was elusive, especially in light of recent events. Rockman sustained serious damage in the music store attack; Yuuichirou put everything on hold to repair him.

_God forbid I lose my son for a second time._

But that had always been a risk. Ever since he sent Netto the disc with Rockman's program, it had been a risk. And for every time they'd saved the world, there were a thousand others where they'd sat on the brink of death or deletion or both.

That was the irony of Yuuichirou's choice. Had he never resurrected Saito as Rockman, Netto would have lived a safe, happy life. Or, perhaps, the world would've been destroyed a dozen times over by now.

_There's no second-guessing the past._

But he could certainly second-guess the future. His son deserved to live. It was just a matter of how to pull it off. Searching for inspiration, Yuuichirou pulled back the curtain and spoke to his son. "Talk to me, Saito. Tell me…how can I make you breathe again?"

"Papa?"

And then he shut the curtain (and ripped the cloth in the process, which nearly rendered it useless) and spun around to face the stairwell, where Netto stood.

"What are you doing, Papa?"

"I'm working, Netto. Who sent you here?"

"Your staff…"

"This is a classified lab. No one is supposed to come in without clearance."

"I don't have clearance?"

Yuuichirou sighed. He removed his glasses and wiped his face, but his fingers tripped on his stubble. "What brings you back to the lab so soon? Did my repair hold?"

"Yes, Papa," Rockman said. "I feel great; thank you."

The professor flinched.

"What's wrong, Papa?" Netto said.

"Nothing," he said, dismissing his uneasiness with a chuckle. "Nothing at all. What's the trouble then?"

"Well, this morning, I found a strange file in the PET," Rockman said.

"Oh?"

"It's called 'Saito BAT.' Do you know what this is?"

_Do I know what it is? DO I KNOW WHAT IT IS?_ "Th-that's very strange," Yuuichirou said.

"I thought so, too," Rockman said.

"I'll delete it right away. I must have downloaded it into the PET by accident."

"Oh, so it's something you're working on?" Netto asked.

"You might say that." In no time, Yuuichirou cleared the PET of the offending file. Internally, he berated himself for his carelessness. Was he really so exhausted that he could make such a grievous mistake? _There's no telling what could happen if they had run it; it's not even finished yet…_

Satisfied, Netto sprang up the steps, back the way he came. "See you for dinner tonight, Papa?"

"Not tonight, Netto."

"I see."

—

After that debacle, Yuuichirou needed a drink. Not alcohol; something that would make him alert and aware. Hot coffee. Hot coffee would do the trick. He found a fresh pot in the break room and poured a whole cup down his throat, all in one gulp.

If that kind of burn didn't keep him awake, nothing would.

When he left the break room, he headed straight for the infirmary, where the nurse cautioned him against abusing hot drinks. The last thing he wanted as an esophageal ulcer.

At last, Yuuichirou returned to his lab, only to find a strange, lanky man admiring the naked body of his cloned son.

"Quite impressive, Hikari-hakase."

"Doesn't anybody respect a classified lab anymore?" Yuuichirou remarked. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"My name is Nakamura Hideki."

"Nakamura-hakase?" Yuuichirou left the staircase and met the professor on level ground. "I've been meaning to meet you. Your work is intriguing."

"I've been meaning to meet you as well. Your work is even more intriguing."

Yuuichirou raised an eyebrow. Worse yet, he was still facing Saito's clone body as it floated in the cylindrical tank. He closed the curtain. "What do you know about Saito?"

"Enough to know that my expertise could be valuable to you."

"And in return?"

"You're trying to save your son, aren't you?"

"I am."

"And I'm trying to save my daughter. Can you do that for me?"

Another body? Here? One was—it would seem—hard enough to hide, but two?

But Yuuichirou glanced at the curtain. His boy wouldn't live without help, not anytime soon anyway. And he and this Nakamura had something in common.

"What's her name?" Yuuichirou said.

"Excuse me?"

"On the tank, I wrote my son's name. His name is Saito. What should I write on her tank?"

Nakamura nodded. "Masuyo. Nakamura Masuyo."

"Hikari-hakase!"

"This is a _classified lab_. Are you classified? No? Then get—"

"Hakase! There's an injured navi here. He needs your help!"

**4**

"What have we got?"

"The navi's name is Cardman. He was attacked in Internet City."

Yuuichirou pulled up to the repair console, where Cardman's image lay before him. Holes riddled Cardman's body; his cards bent and tore with every breath. His wounds shed loose data into the air, which surrounded him in a cloud of blue smoke.

The professor shuddered at the sight. "Somebody did all this? Without chips? It's amazing he even made it this far."

An alert popped up on the screen.

"What's this?" Yuuichirou pressed some keys, changing the view to that of a security monitor. At the bottom of the screen was the repair console. Above it, four layers of protection—firewalls—separated the console from the outside net.

At least, there should have been four. At that moment there were three.

"You! Get some help; we have a security breach." The assistant flinched. "Quickly!" Yuuichirou said. The assistant nodded and dashed out of the room.

With that, Yuuichirou buckled down. He cut the repair console off from the net; hopefully no other navis would need immediate attention today. Still, if someone wanted to, they could do all manner of unpleasant things to the Science Labs. They could seal the doors and shut off the air; they could cycle the power—

Off, off, off. The lights cut out, the console went blank, and each passing second meant Cardman's unstable data could fly apart completely.

On, on, on. The backup generators kicked in, and the console rebooted.

With all connections set to _on_.

Where were the plugs? Where were the wires? He could yank them out, right? But no, no, wireless is the way to go these days. Wireless is so much more convenient…

_Never underestimate the convenience of pulling the plug._

Finally, back to business. Cardman survived the reboot; that was good. One firewall left; that was not so good. Yuuichirou mashed the buttons on the console. If he could just cut off the net before the last firewall fell…

Click. He jumped in the air and pumped his fists. "There! Got it!"

But the thin red line that represented the last firewall faded. So did Yuuichirou's smirk of triumph.

The professor sank in his chair. "I'm sorry, Cardman."

"Don't be sorry yet, Papa! Plug-in, Rockman EXE! Transmission!"

Rockman materialized inside the repair console, where Cardman lay on the recovery table. And next to the injured navi stood his pursuer.

"You!"

There she was, standing before him. The white navi, beautiful and deadly.

"Who are you?" Rockman said. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to delete him. He won't be silent."

"No one's getting deleted today!" Netto cried. "Battle Chip: Paladin Sword, slot-in!"

Rockman leapt high, his arm transforming into the deadly diamond-shaped blade of the Paladin Sword, and as he fell, he channeled all his momentum into the swing.

But the white navi raised her arm to shield herself, wielding a Paladin Sword of her own! Sword met sword, and neither blade budged.

"How is that possible?" Netto said. "Did her operator slot-in a Paladin Sword, too?"

"I have no operator!" With her free hand, the white navi pushed back against Rockman's attack, knocking him away. "Mach Burst!"

"Netto-kun—"

"Battle Chip: Area Steal, slot-in!"

The smoke cleared with no trace of Rockman. The white navi walked back to Cardman's bedside. "You won't cloud my thoughts anymore."

"What did I ever do to you?"

"You touched me." Arm high, she reproduced the Paladin Sword and lifted it to strike…

Pew! Pew! Pew! Three pink bursts struck the white navi. Rockman stepped forward, his buster set on her. "Cardman is innocent in all this! Leave him alone!"

"Hmph." The white navi vanished.

Netto frowned. "Huh? Where did she go?"

"Netto-kun, I think she copied the Area Steal!"

"Which means—"

"I'm right behind you. Whirling Pick!" The white navi's green, gloved hands turned into a pair of pickaxes, clubbing and slashing at Rockman. Though he could duck and dodge the spinning points of death, they homed in on him no matter how he maneuvered.

"I've had enough of this!" Netto said. "Battle Chip: Cannon, slot-in!"

The cannon sniped at the pair of picks and knocked them out of the sky. The white navi's hands reformed though, good as new.

"Time to finish this!" Netto pulled from his collection of chips a very familiar trio. "Program Advance! Battle Chip: Spread Gun, triple slot-in!"

The two Spread Guns consumed Rockman's hands. He raised the twin barrels over his head as the third took effect. "Hyper Burst!"

A single beam of brilliant light hurtled toward the white navi and split into a thousand shards.

And the thousand shards collided with another thousand shards; they canceled each other out, and the great light dimmed to nothing.

The white navi held in her hands the Spread Guns of a Hyper Burst as well.

"Impossible!" Netto said. "She can copy a program advance, too?"

"I am what I was made to be," said the white navi. "I'm only doing what I was programmed to do."

"I will protect Cardman from you, no matter what!" Rockman said.

"Ah, but where is Cardman?" The white navi stepped aside, revealing Cardman's table.

She was between Rockman and Cardman. She had a clear shot, and there was nothing Rockman or Netto could do.

A pair of playing cards appeared in the white navi's hands. "Pocket Aces!" Spade and club speared Cardman; they sucked his life away, and his data scattered in the virtual breeze.

Cardman was deleted.

"It's quieter now."

"She's reconnecting the console to the net," Yuuichirou said, fighting her with every keystroke. "She's getting away!"

"Soon it will all be silent again."

"Stop!" Rockman said. "Who are you?"

She vanished, but her voice remained. It reverberated throughout the cyberworld and filled every crevice with its ghastly sound.

"I am Echo."


	3. The Maze

**Chapter Two: The Maze**

Faint blue light flickered and flashed with each passing frame. It encroached upon the darkness in the room and revealed hints of the writing on the walls. Kana and kanji melted together in the night; their lines swirled and blended. They were a testament to the writer's genius, for instead of mere words and phrases, he combined characters and symbols into a great mural—an artistic masterpiece.

But that night, he didn't write. He'd put to plaster his thoughts and ramblings long enough. That night, he watched. His eyes locked onto the screen, where the battle unfolded.

"Pocket Aces!"

He leaned forward. As Echo dealt Cardman a deathblow, the explosion illuminated the viewer's face, which bore a pattern of perpendicular lines. The creamy contours broadened; his lips parted, and his jaw hung open.

"It's quieter now."

"Who are you?" he asked the screen. "Why do you do this?"

"Soon it will all be silent again."

The screen faded to black, and yellow light flooded the room. Mazeman rose. A PET lay on the coffee table before him. He aligned the laser with the port on the copyroid's chest, and his robot body slumped on the sofa, lifeless.

**1**

_These people, these navis—they have no appreciation for the mysteries of life._

Mazeman strolled along the main thoroughfare of Internet City. Many navis walked this path, but none were like him. They all had errands to do, humans to serve. Granted, most would not have an existence without human masters; Mazeman was no exception. In death, the generous puzzle master Satou Haruki had bestowed upon his navi the most profound gift of all: the gift of freedom, to roam not only the cyberworld but the human world as well. Mazeman became Haruki's successor as Lord of Satou Manor and ruled it through the body of a copyroid.

But this day, Mazeman had business in the cyberworld—a puzzle worthy of Satou-sama's interest, were he still alive.

Mazeman ducked under the caution tape and entered the ruins of the Treble Clef. This was not his first visit here. Indeed, since he'd heard of Cardman's deletion—of the identity of the white navi, Echo—he'd made investigating the site of the original incident a daily ritual. Over there, by the register, was a copy of _Moonlight Sonata_, shattered and displaced when Mazeman tripped over it three days prior.

He wasn't here to ponder the destruction of Beethoven's work, though. He was here to solve a mystery.

_Who is Echo?_

And the answer lay somewhere within the broken store. He waded down the aisles and stepped over loose debris from displays or files. In one area, near the midpoint of the store, the shelves had toppled over, and the floor bore scoring marks…

—

"Mach Burst!"

The waves distorted the air; they fractured the flying helmet and triggered the blast…

—

Mazeman fingered a scar on his hip—an artifact of the repair process, one easily eliminated, but he had opted to keep it. It reminded him of what happened that day. It reminded him of how much worse it could've been…had Echo not intervened.

_She saved us. Some of us._

Mazeman walked behind the counter. _This is where she stood. This is where Sonicman was when he died._

Why did she see fit not to save him? Why did she wait until the last possible moment?

—

"Dig out the wound," Grove said. "We need to get all the damaged data out of him before he can heal."

Mazeman slid his hands into the pick-shaped hole. He cupped his fingers and dumped the corrupted data on the floor.

—

It was where Pickman had died, too. Echo replicated his pick and slaughtered him with it.

_How did she do that?_

But there was no "blood." There was no evidence. A deleted navi is dust in the wind, and the wind carried Sonicman and Pickman far and away. Their bodies could not testify to Echo's methods or psyche. Their bodies were lost forever.

_It'd almost be easier if they had been human._

"What are you doing?"

Hunched behind the register, Mazeman sprang up. A small navi in a white skirt, with a dunce cap for a hat, peered into the doorway.

"I'm just looking around," Mazeman said.

"It's dangerous here, isn't it?"

"Says the little girl navi."

"I'm just saying." The girl entered the store and stood across from Mazeman, on the other side of the counter.

"The structure is quite sound, I assure you. I've been here many times."

"You have? Why?"

"I'm looking for something."

"Something you lost?"

"No, I'm looking for—" He frowned. "Haven't I seen you before?"

"Have you?"

"You were here, weren't you? When all this happened?"

She nodded.

"What's your name?"

"Imi."

"Tell me, Imi: do you remember the navi that saved us?"

"What do you mean?"

"The tall navi. She had green hair and gloves. She attacked the bomb before it could delete those two navis, the blue one and the pink one."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Is that right. Well, I'm looking for her."

"Why?"

"So many reasons, my dear, so many reasons, but I can't seem to make any headway."

"Maybe she doesn't want to be found."

"I'm sure she doesn't, but there must be some way to—" Mazeman cocked his head and stroked his chin. "Hmm, that's a thought."

"What is?"

"Perhaps the answer isn't to look for Echo; perhaps the answer is to lure her to me."

"How would you do that?"

He chuckled. "So many questions! My, aren't you the precocious one! I hope you never stop asking these questions, little one, it's good for the mi—" He reached out to pat her shoulder, but she backpedaled. "Something wrong?"

"I don't like to be touched. I should go now."

"Wait!"

She dashed out.

Mazeman folded his arms. "Odd little girl."

It was no matter, though. He had an idea, and though Mazeman was loathe to let a mystery go unsolved, the question of Echo would take precedence over this little girl.

**2**

Bags. Packed bags, barren walls. A bed, perfect and pristine, for no one slept in it—not today, not yesterday, not the day before. Nakamura Hideki much preferred an armchair to a bed these days. He wasn't sleeping, not three hours past noon anyway, but he wished he could, for in a scientist's world, there is only one thing reviled more than all else:

Logistics.

Logistics meant ordering. Logistics meant billing, and billing meant paying. Ordering was bad enough: "Yes, I need to order some human egg cells. No, I'm not using them for in-vitro fertilization. No, I'm not using them for fertility treatments. What am I using them for? Uh, never mind, I'll try someplace else, thanks, bye."

And as a scientist, Hideki quickly realized that there was an inverse relationship between the number of questions a supplier asked and how much they charged. The more questions, the more reasonable the price. The fewer questions, the more exorbitant. Since Hideki desperately needed there to be as few questions as possible, he was forced to pay up. He had all but spent the rest of Yuuichirou's budget. Without some outside financing, neither of their children would see the light of day again.

Ding-dong!

Hideki opened the door and stared in the face of a man—no, a thing—covered in black with cream-colored lines all over his body.

He shut the door. "I'm not donating to the kidney foundation this year, sorry!"

"Nakamura-hakase! A moment of your time, please!"

Hideki froze. He went back to the door and flung it open. "How do you know who I am?"

"I pride myself on my ability to solve puzzles."

"You're a navi, a copyroid."

"Precisely."

"What do you want?"

"I'm very interested in your research."

"My research? I don't do research anymore."

"I'm speaking of your prior research into…what was it? 'Imitative algorithms'?"

Hideki's gut clenched. He staggered and held onto the doorknob to steady himself.

"Hakase?"

"I'm sorry," Hideki said. "I won't discuss any of my research into that area. Please leave."

"Isn't there some sort of arrangement we could work out?"

"No! There will be no arrangement! I put that work behind me long ago. Leave, now!" He slammed the door in the copyroid's face. He had no time for this; he had work to do. He walked back to his desk, and—

"I can pay!"

Hideki stopped mid-stride. "How much?"

"How much do you need?"

—

Mazeman left Nakamura Hideki-hakase's apartment a happy navi. "Just slot-in this chip," Nakamura had said, "and you'll be able to mimic the attacks and appearance of any navi you come across. Just be warned: there may be some side effects."

"What kind of side effects?"

"Why do you think I don't do research in 'imitative algorithms' anymore?"

Whatever the price, it was worth paying. Echo hadn't struck again since her attack on Cardman. That was a pity; her motivation was hard to determine without more information, more attacks, but it would be plausible to all involved if she were to strike again.

And Mazeman knew just the two navis for the job.

—

"I'm telling you, we didn't do it!"

A set of scales appeared on the table. "The scales tell us the power of the case for and against you," said the lawyer navi, Scaleman.

The scale tipped to one side.

"The case against you is very strong."

Plasticman shook his head. "You don't understand. I mean we didn't do it the first time!"

"The first time?"

"He told the cops that we trashed his store, but we didn't, did we, Helmetman?"

The scuba helmet nodded.

"What's your point?" said Scaleman.

"The only reason we went back there was to punish him for lying," said Plasticman. "He shouldn't have blamed his problem on us."

"If you three didn't trash Sonicman's store 'the first time,' then who did?"

The two handcuffed navis shrugged.

"I see. Either way, I don't see how that's going to help you win your case."

"Look, we didn't intend to hurt anybody!" Plasticman said. "We just defended ourselves."

"Thanks to you two, Sonicman is dead, Pickman is dead…the honest truth is that you're going to go down for both of those deaths."

"But we didn't kill Pickman! That navi—that Echo—she did it."

"Well, unless you can somehow get Echo in here to be charged—"

BAM! Virtual bricks scattered on the ground, and a cloud of smoke filled the room.

And through the breach in the wall stepped Echo.

"That's her!"

"What is the meaning of—"

"Mach Burst!" The wave propelled the lawyer and his scales into the far wall and knocked him out.

Helmetman and Plasticman stumbled from their chairs, their hands still bound. "What are you doing?" cried Plasticman.

Echo's hand morphed into a pickaxe. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

—

As police navis surrounded the scene, no one noticed a navi clad in silk escape from the jail. She hurried down an alley, where she glowed with a piercing light. She emerged from this transformation not as a she but a he—as Mazeman.

"Brilliant!" Mazeman said. "Absolutely brilliant! Now those two scum of the earth are gone (and good riddance to them, after all the trouble they caused), and everyone will think Echo did it. She won't be able to escape that kind of manhunt!"

But a voice rang out in the alley. It reverberated and stacked upon itself in one last scream.

'_No! You can't delete me! You monster! I am Plasticman! I am—I am…'_

Mazeman looked around. How was this possible? Plasticman was dead by his hand.

The scream faded out, though, and Mazeman went on his way.

**3**

"She just attacked," said Scaleman. "Before I even knew it, I was out cold."

Rockman ducked into the hole and knelt beside two pairs of handcuffs, the only remains of Plasticman and Helmetman. "And you're sure it was Echo?"

"Positive."

At that, Imi left Roll's side and marched down the street, back the way they came.

"Imi-chan, where are you going?"

_How is this possible? I didn't do this. I wasn't there._

'_Are you sure? Maybe you forgot. Maybe you did do it; maybe you're driven to kill.'_

_I'm not! I'm not I'm not I'm not!_

' "_Soon it will all be quiet." Aren't those your words?'_

_I didn't mean it._

'_You did too! You want to, don't you?'_

'_You're unstable. You're broken, and you need to be fixed.'_

_I'm not!_

'_Don't say that to Imi. The four of you are just pushing her to insanity.'_

'_Oh boo-hoo, kid. Can't you make like the others and stay silent when you die?'_

_Stop it! Stop it! Be quiet!_

'_Come now, little one, can't you exert a little brainpower to decipher this puzzle?'_

Imi stopped. _It was you. It was you, wasn't it? You did this! You tried to frame me._

'_I can't speak to the whereabouts or actions of my other self, you know that.'_

_He wants to find me. He wants to find Echo._

'_Then perhaps it's time to meet the real me again.'_

—

Echo materialized in Mazeman's network, but what awaited her was not at all what she expected.

"What…is this?"

Glowing, melting barriers blocked her way. Her hand sank into the wall like it was made of goo.

"Fine then. I'll just walk through it."

She dashed forward and waded through the goo, and after a moment of struggle, she emerged on the other side…

…right back where she started.

'_You'll have to do better than that. Come on, use your head.'_

"Mach Burst!" The wall swallowed the wave whole…and spat it back out at her, knocking her off her feet.

'_I must say, my other self has been busy. This is something even _I_ hadn't anticipated.'_

She couldn't go through it, and she couldn't go around it. With no other options, Echo entered the maze. She dragged a finger through the green wall goo. Stick to one wall and follow it to the end—that was the cardinal rule of mazes. Not necessarily quick, but 100 effective.

Of course, finding the exit was not the hardest part. Getting there, on the other hand…

_What should I expect?_

'_It seems the real me has been making improvements. I won't be able to tell you what exactly you might face.'_

_But…_

'_Just take what you want from my mind, why don't you.'_

Always willing to oblige, Echo searched the cavities of Mazeman's memory. She indexed hundreds of entries on maze traps: some real and implemented, others hypothetical but possible, and others still that were speculative at best, downright intractable at worst.

_You spend too much time on these mazes._

'_It _is_ what I'm designed to do. Isn't that what you're doing, too?'_

_Be quiet._

'_That's the answer for everything, isn't it? If Echo tells you to be quiet, you'd better be quiet, or else she'll delete the real you; that's a promise.'_

_Be quiet._

'_It's pathetic, really. Just can't handle a bit of a party, can you. Honestly, I don't see why the real me is so interested in finding you. If he knew half of what I know—'_

"Be quiet!"

The goo dampened her voice, but it still echoed throughout the maze, as the walls turned it around and tossed it back at her.

'_Careful, it's a trap.'_

The walls fanned out, opening a large space in front of her. What trap was this? The cannon trap? The ball trap?

The floor rumbled.

'_Nope, it's the spike trap.'_

What could she do? How could she avoid the spikes?

'_Personally? I would run.'_

Run?

'_RUN!'_

Spikes sprang from the floor. Echo dashed across the gap. She spun and danced around the spikes, but their positions were random—she never knew when or where one was coming.

When one spike mangled her hand, it came as a big surprise. _'Careful, little one. They're sharp!'_

But Echo cleared the spike room, leaving their bobbing points behind her. Despite the loss of her hand, she pressed onward.

'_I guess you'll have to speak to Grove about getting that fixed later, huh?'_

_Be quiet._

She dragged the stub of her hand in the gooey maze wall; her data bled into the wall and seeped out as a faint mist.

More rumbling. What's this, more spikes?

'_I'm guessing it's the ball trap.'_

The wall hardened; Echo's stubby arm stuck in the solid goo. She pulled and yanked and tugged, to no avail.

And up ahead, at the corner, the ball slammed into a parallel wall, halting abruptly.

'_All we have to do is give it a little push…'_

The perpendicular wall reared back and kicked the ball forward, toward Echo, at lethal speed.

"Mach Burst!"

The wave sliced through the ball; it ripped and fragmented, but the pieces carried forward under the ball's momentum. Echo hugged the wall, but a chunk of debris slashed at her knees.

'_That's a bit more serious.'_

As the remaining pieces tumbled to a stop, the wall liquefied again, freeing her arm. With her one good, free hand, she channeled her energy into her severed legs. Soon enough, she could walk again, but she wished she could crawl instead.

But she did neither. She flew. Or rather, she floated, floated within the confines of a bubble. It carried her into the sky, far above the walls of the maze.

There! There was the exit, the end of the maze. And beyond those double doors…Mazeman's chambers.

But how to get down from here…

'_Far be it for Echo to burst her own bubble.'_

The Paladin Sword popped the bubble well enough. The fall nearly popped Echo. But she picked herself up and staggered through the remainder of the maze, knowing the way to the exit. With her good hand, she propped the steel door open long enough to slip through.

And Mazeman—the real Mazeman, resting comfortably in his swivel chair—applauded Echo's performance. "Very good, very good! Quite the effort for your first time, bravo!"

"I didn't come here for your amusement."

"Indeed? What does bring the great and powerful Echo to my abode?"

"You copied me. You killed those navis and made it look like I did it. How?"

"I assume you're referring to Plasticman and Helmetman? I must say, that was quite a shame, though they were such miscreants I can't say I mourn their demise. What makes you think I was responsible for that?"

"It's something you would do."

"It is? How do you know me so well?"

"How did you copy me?"

"Can't we trade a secret for a secret? Please?"

_You're being cagey._

'_I don't know what you're talking about.'_

Mazeman rose from his chair and walked toward her. "I've been looking for you for so long now. You're a mystery to me, and I was made to solve mysteries. So if you want to know something about me, isn't it fair that I know something about you?"

'_I think the only way you'll get your answer is if you touch him, Echo.'_

Echo grimaced. That was the last thing Imi wanted to do, but it was also the most direct, the most effective. "Tell me how you copied me, or I'll take the secret from you myself."

"Oh? And just how would you do that?"

"Like this. Area Steal!"

Mazeman shook his head. "Tsk, tsk. Predictable. Dead End!"

A section of maze appeared behind him and slammed the emerging Echo into the wall. Mazeman strode calmly to her side and cocked his head in thought. "Just what did you think that would accomplish?"

Echo wiggled and squirmed in her bindings, but in her weakened state, they pinned her well.

"I don't think you're going to get out; you took quite a beating."

But she slid an arm free and swiped at Mazeman, who ducked. He stepped back, just beyond her outstretched arm, her fingers grasping for every last inch.

"Just what are you trying to do?"

Realizing the futility, Echo opted for a different tack. "Paladin Sword!" She sliced the maze wall from her body, but she collapsed to a knee, exhausted.

"Just one little secret. That's all I ask."

"No!" She lunged at him, but he sidestepped. Again and again she clawed and dove at him, but he evaded her attacks with ease.

"Maze Barrier!"

A panel of maze wall emerged from the floor, and Echo smashed into it head-on. Though she still held her footing, she couldn't shake the daze from the impact.

"You are so uncooperative."

"You want to know my secret?" she said. "Touch me."

Mazeman approached giddily, but he caught a glimpse of her intent gaze. He stopped. "No, I won't touch you."

"Touch me!"

He wagged a finger at her. "I'm smarter than that. You'll have to do better next time."

Echo growled. "I'll be back for you. You'll tell me, whether you want to or not."

"I look forward to it. It should be fun!"

With a parting glare, Echo plugged out.

—

"Imi-chan, where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Petite Imi lay on the floor. She hadn't the luxury to close her eyes; with Roll wide awake, she was far too likely to try to touch her again.

'_Wouldn't want to have more company up here, now would we?'_

"You were right," Imi said. "I shouldn't have come; it was too much for me."

"Don't run away like that again, though, okay? If Echo is out there—"

"You don't have to tell _me_ about Echo."

"I'm sorry. It's just that if Echo were to attack without Rockman or me around—"

_Rockman? _Yes, yes, Rockman would help, wouldn't he? "Where is Rockman-san?"

"I don't think '-san' is—"

"Where is he?"

Roll folded her arms and huffed. "Last I heard, he was seeing Grove. That's where we're going now."

**4**

"_It's bad, Netto-kun. She destroyed everything; she deleted them without hesitation, without mercy."_

"_We will find her, Rockman. We'll stop her."_

_The blue bomber looked back on the destruction of the police station. Police navis lugged new data blocks to fill the hole Echo blasted out._

"_We need to warn them," he said. "She attacked Cardman, and now Plasticman and Helmetman. They were all there, at the music store."_

"_You think she's after them?" asked his operator._

"_I don't know, but we should warn them."_

"_What do we say?"_

"_We tell them Echo is here."_

"End of the line!"

The subway train broke to a halt, and Netto disembarked. He waded through the crowd, sneaking into any open space he could find in this mass of bodies. It was bad enough that the station was packed; it was worse still that he had to swim against the current of people, most of whom were bound for the high-speed trains out of the city.

Netto wasn't going quite that far, but this was by no means a simple hike down the street on his skates. The boy with the blue bandana ascended the stairs and saw daylight once again. Though weary travelers stepped around him and obstructed his view, Netto picked out his destination, nestled among the hills of the outskirts of town. When pavement ran out under his feet, he hoofed it the old-fashioned way and trudged up the gravel roads. Soon enough, he stood atop a small cliff, overlooking a jagged, rectangular pit.

"Akihara Quarry," a sign read.

"Excuse me!" Netto cried. "Does anyone know Yukawa-san?"

The quarry workers below hammered and lugged the stone of the earth without interruption; if they heard Netto over the screech of the jackhammers or the blasts of dynamite, they showed no sign of it.

Undeterred, Netto called out to the workers again. "Oi! I need to talk to Yukawa-san! Doesn't anybody know Yukawa-san?"

"Keep that up, kid, and you'll get someone killed!" A burly, lumbering man with a white helmet and buttoned shirt shook a pencil at Netto. "If you distract the workers for even a second, you put their lives in danger. Do you understand me?"

"I'm sorry," Netto said. "I just need to speak to Yukawa-san."

"I'm responsible for all these miners. If you have something to say to one of them, you can say it to me."

"I need to warn him."

"About what?"

"We think a loose navi might try to delete his navi."

"I'm sure Yukawa and his navi can take care of themselves."

"This navi is powerful," Rockman said. "She can copy anything you use against her—even a program advance."

"Your concern is noted. Now I must ask that you leave. Unless you have a hard hat, you can't be within 100 meters of the quarry."

"But—"

"No _but_s. Leave, now!"

Defeated, Netto shuffled his feet on the gravel road, on the way back to the subway.

When the boy was out of sight, the overseer pulled his PET from his pocket. "Do you hear that, Slateman? A navi that can copy a program advance…"

—

"Netto, where are you? I already finished my piano lesson. Didn't you want to do our homework?"

"I still have a few errands to run, Meiru-chan. Can you wait a while?"

"Errands? You don't run errands."

"I do! I do…sometimes. Mama wanted me to buy some fish for tonight."

The redhead leaned forward, into the screen. "Oh? Is that why you're on Casino Row?"

Netto glanced over his shoulder. The billboards and advertisements for blackjack and roulette flashed and spun with nauseating speed.

"Gotta go, Meiru-chan!" The screen went blank, and Netto strapped the PET back to his shoulder with a sigh.

"It's rude to hang up on people in the middle of a call, Netto-kun."

"There was no other way, Rockman. If Meiru-chan found out what we were doing, she would be here in no time."

"It's still rude. Especially to Meiru-chan; she's your friend."

"She _is_ my friend, but—"

"No _but_s. When we get back, you should apologize to her, face-to-face."

_Is that everyone's favorite phrase today?_ "Okay, okay. When we get back." He stopped; he craned his neck, but the building before him extended to the clouds—no, to outer space. "Is this it?"

"The Victorian," Rockman read. "Yes, this is it."

Netto walked through a pair of glass doors and into a sea of blinking lights and musical chimes. It was an environment designed to dazzle the senses, to confound and perplex as long as possible.

After all, a disoriented gambler was much, much more likely to stay put and let the house swindle him.

But oh, the sights, the sounds! The lever cranks as you pull it; what will it be this time? Lucky 7s? Jackpot? Ping ping ping! The reels stop. Tingalingalingaling! The coins pour through the chute, and you're a winner.

"That's right; _you_ could be a winner today!" And in the middle of it all, a man in a two-tone suit—one half black, one half red—enticed the newcomers to partake of the various and sundry vices. "Come right up, boys and girls! The slots are hot! The tables are smoking! Don't forget to go for a spin! You could be a winner today!"

"I could be a loser today, too," Netto said with a nervous chuckle.

"We're not here to gamble, Netto-kun," Rockman said.

"How can we find Ikeda-san with all this noise, these people?"

"Step right up and try your luck!" said the two-tone suit. "You could be a winner!"

"He's a little cheesy, isn't he?" Netto said.

"He's trying to get people to play," Rockman said.

"They're already in the casino; doesn't that mean they're playing?"

"You can't win if you don't play!"

Now the suit's navi was getting in on the fun. The digital roulette wheel danced atop the suit's red shoulder and waved his arms.

"Netto-kun, I think that's Rouletteman, which means…"

"That's Ikeda-san, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Hey, kid, are you 18?" Two pairs of black sunglasses and earpieces took Netto by each arm.

"What? No, I'm not here to gamble! I just need to talk to Ikeda-san!"

"No one under 18 is allowed in the casino; rules are rules!"

"But I'm a Net—"

"NO _BUT_S!"

The bodyguards promptly tossed Netto to the curb. Had he landed any harder, he wouldn't have had any butt left, either.

—

Ikeda Kousuke apologized profusely for the behavior of his security guards. He also took great concern for the threat of Echo; Cardman was a personal friend of Rouletteman, after all, and to hear of his deletion brought great sadness to both of them.

Netto never would have known that by the way Ikeda went back to extolling the virtues of the craps tables.

With two out of four operators behind him (along with an aching rear), Netto skated (somewhat gingerly) to a red-brick corner flower shop, one that served excellent tea.

The rosy-cheeked store owner glanced up from her watering duties. "Ah, Netto-kun, welcome!"

"Good afternoon, Saloma-san!"

"What brings you here today?"

"Actually, I was looking for Egami-san, and…" He winced. "…perhaps a cup of tea."

The florist set her watering pail on the floor and prepared a fresh kettle. "Are you in some pain?"

Netto eased himself into a chair, clenching his teeth. "No, no pain."

"I see. I'll get Egami-chan while this is brewing." Saloma disappeared into a back room.

"She could've put something in the tea for you if you'd said something, Netto-kun," said his navi.

"It doesn't hurt that much."

"Netto-kun, you're lying."

"I am not."

"There is no shame in admitting that you're hurt."

"IT'S NOT THAT I'M HURT! IT'S THAT I GOT BOUNCED OUT OF A CASINO ON MY A—"

"Netto-kun?"

Netto's head spun to the storage room door, where Egami Aya strode into the room, hopping over bags of fertilizer and boxes of potted plants. Having overcome the obstacle course, she landed in the empty chair, opposite Netto, and retied her azure braids.

"You don't look well, Netto-kun."

"That's what Rockman said, but I'm fine! Really! I'm really fine!"

"Rockman?" Her eyes flittered to Netto's shoulder, where Rockman stood. "Oh, hello Rockman!"

"Good afternoon, Egami-san."

"Grove told me all about what happened at the music store." Egami dug into her apron and planted her PET on the table. The eggplant navi appeared and bowed. "I was hoping you would come. I have something for you, something I grew. I _tried_ to convince Grove to make something for Rockman—"

"I meant no disrespect," Grove said, "but I thought it best not to remind either of you of such a distressing ordeal."

"I understand, Grove," said Rockman.

Egami shrugged. "Well, that's Grove for you. It doesn't stop _me_ from giving you a gift, though. In fact—" A sharp hiss. "Oh, that must be your tea. I'll be right back with your gift, too."

"Eheheh," Netto said; his eyes shifted back and forth. "I wonder what kind of gift…"

"She said it was something she grew," Rockman noted, "but that could be any number of things."

Egami poured four cups of tea and ducked into the back room.

_Four cups? One for me, one for Egami-san, one for Saloma-san…who else?_

But at the moment, he was alone in the shop, with the two ladies in the back room. Who else was there, unless they were expecting company, someone like—

"Netto!"

A fiery redhead fumed in the doorway.

_Oh God, gods, or even divine pasta creatures, if any of you can help me now…_

**5**

"Gotta go, Meiru-chan!"

Meiru gaped at the blank screen.

"Meiru-chan?" said her navi. "Meiru-chan!"

She slumped on the piano stool and gazed into the ceiling.

"Don't be mad at Netto-kun, he's—"

"Running errands." She righted herself, squared her shoulders, and tapped the ivory keys. An A for a beat, down to E for another, up to C for two. A, E, C beat; A, E, C beat. There was hidden meaning in that A-minor triad. Meiru pounded on the chord, pounded it into the dirt, pounded it until her fingers slipped off the keys altogether.

"Meiru-chan?"

"What is it, Roll?"

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Perfectly fine."

"Are you…finished?"

"I don't think so. I think there's more."

"I think you've played enough today, Meiru-chan."

"It's not finished yet."

"But Meiru-chan—" The ring-ring of a video call cut off the pink navi. "Oh, Meiru-chan, a call for you."

"Is it Netto? If it is, I don't want to talk to him."

"It's Egami-san."

"Egami-san? I wonder what she wants. Hello, Egami-san?"

Egami's pearly grin lit up the screen. "Meiru-chan, it's nice to talk to you again."

_It is?_ "You seem really happy; what happened?"

"Can you come by Saloma's shop? We're having tea."

"We are?"

"Yes, Netto-kun and I. I'd like for you to come, too, if you have time."

_She's having tea with Netto._ That's not too bad, right? _She's having TEA with NETTO_?

"Oh, Egami-_san_, I'll be right over!"

"That's great! See you then!"

Meiru buried her PET in her pocket, slipped on her shoes, and jumped on her scooter. Passing pedestrians, old ladies on walkers, small children with balloons—they were all fair game to be shoved, clipped, or knocked out of her way. She whipped open the door to Saloma's flower parlor and caught Netto's gaze. The poor boy turned the color of death itself.

_He knows he's done wrong. He knows!_

"Meiru-chan? What are you doing here?"

"That's what _I_ should be asking!" She stomped into the store and towered over her brunet classmate. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I came to see Egami-san."

"Oh, so you admit it!"

"Admit…what?"

"Ah, Meiru-chan!" Egami skipped toward them, one hand behind her back, oblivious to their argument. "I'm so glad you could make it, Meiru-chan! Oh, Netto-kun, this is for you!"

Her concealed hand came forward, revealing the ruby petals of a red rose.

_YOU'RE GIVING HIM A—_

"F-f-for me?"

"Well, if you want, I can give this one to Meiru-chan and give you hers. A rose is a rose, after all."

Netto wrapped his fingers around the stem and took the rose as his own, and Meiru, stupefied, sat frozen while Egami returned to the storage room and retrieved another rose, just for her.

"Maybe you could give it to someone special," Egami said. "That'd be nice, wouldn't it?"

_Maybe I could if you hadn't done that already. _Meiru snatched the rose from her hand. "Thanks, Aya-san."

"Meiru-chan, nobody calls me Aya. I hate that name."

"I know."

Egami's brow wrinkled as she lifted the cup of tea to her lips. Netto did the same. Meiru observed a strict one-meter distance from the cup at all times, as much as she loved Saloma's tea.

"So, Netto-kun, what brought you here in the first place?"

"I was wondering if you'd heard about Cardman."

"Cardman? Who is Cardman?"

"He was one of the navis at the store," Grove said. "We tried to save Sonicman, but it proved futile."

"Cardman was deleted," Rockman said. "By Echo."

"The navi that saved us?"

"I'm not sure she was trying to save us at all. She deleted Cardman and now Plasticman and Helmetman."

"Do you think Grove is in danger?" Egami said.

"We don't know," Netto said. "I thought you should be warned, just in case."

"We still have one navi left, Netto-kun."

"Who is it?"

"It's Mazeman."

—

Imi drummed her fingers as Netto and Meiru went to Mazeman's estate. _It's about time they got to him._

But the journey there was far from silent.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to see the operators?"

"You had a piano lesson!"

"You still should've told me!"

"I don't see what the big deal—"

"Of course you don't, Netto. You never do."

Netto and Rockman exchanged a glance, but Rockman shrugged, and Netto shook his head. Though the tea had eased one source of pain, it left a bitter aftertaste. Bickering with Meiru was always a risky proposition, more often than not because he seldom knew what he'd done to offend her.

But then, he also knew better than to try to fix something he didn't understand. The task at hand would have to take precedence.

An iron gate and a maze of hedges blocked the way to Satou Manor.

"Definitely the work of Mazeman," Netto said, scaling the gate. "Well, here goes!"

"Netto, be careful!"

An orange vest and blue bandana tumbled to the concrete, hindquarters first.

"Netto!"

"Why?" he moaned. "Why again?"

"Netto-kun, plug me in," said Rockman. "We can contact Mazeman through the net."

"Right!" Netto spotted the plug-in ports beside the gate. "There we go. Plug-in, Rockman.EXE! Transmission!"

"Us too!" said Meiru. "Plug-in, Roll! Transmission!"

Rockman and Roll materialized outside the maze. "Netto-kun…"

"He has a maze in the cyberworld, too?"

"I can help!" To their surprise, Imi scampered up to Rockman and Roll. "I'm good at mazes."

Rockman nodded. "Let's go."

Outside the iron gate, Netto grasped the square poles and secured his feet on the crossbars.

Meiru was not amused. "Again, Netto?"

He hopped over the fence and fled into the maze. "Come on!"

"Wait for me!"

—

In the cybermaze, Imi led the charge without hesitation or uncertainty.

"How does she know?" Roll hung back with Rockman as they navigated an intersection, but Rockman shook his head. How _did_ she know?

Imi stopped short at a large room. "Careful."

"What's to be careful about?" Roll said. She stepped forward, and the earth shook under her feat.

"Run!"

The spikes erupted from below; Imi bounded across the gap, much to Rockman's dismay. "Imi-chan, wait!"

"Rockman!"

He spotted Roll—a set of spikes encircled her, trapping her with no escape. "Roll-chan, stay still, okay?"

"Okay!"

Rockman's buster enveloped his arm, and his shots ripped at the base of the spikes. They crumbled and fell, and Roll fled the scene as another spike shot up behind her. To clear their path, Rockman canvassed the area with buster fire, and soon enough, they stood on solid ground, free of the spike trap, where Imi waited for them.

"Are you all right, Roll-chan?"

"Yeah."

Rockman nodded. "Imi-chan, don't—"

There was a conspicuous void where Imi had been.

"Come on!" Her voice echoed from beyond a corner, and Rockman and Roll followed.

But just who or what were they following?

—

"Netto!"

"Meiru-chan!"

"Netto!"

The brunet boy gritted his teeth. He whirled and spun, but his gaze couldn't penetrate the hedgerows, and Meiru's voice died in the brush. Where was she?

"Netto!"

He leaned against the prickly bushes. "Meiru-chan?"

"Netto, I'm here!"

"Stay right there! I'm coming!"

He clawed and tore at the leaves, but for each one he snapped from the bush, another one laid in wait behind it, and their points scratched and cut his hands. _It's no good. I can't go through the bush._

He held his hands out; liquid crimson seeped from the wounds and dripped on the grass.

_It drips…down, by the roots._

He dropped to all fours and peered under the bushes. Sure enough, there was room beneath the hedges, between the roots. "Meiru-chan, down here!"

She knelt down and met his gaze. "Netto!"

"I'm coming!" He flattened himself out and crawled, elbows first, through the underbrush. His knees and shoulders crashed into the wooden roots, but he slid through and emerged on Meiru's side of the hedge in mostly one piece.

"Are you hurt?"

Netto panted, and when their eyes met, his shone dull with fatigue. "Let's keep going, huh?"

"Right."

—

"Imi-chan, how do you know where you're going?" asked Roll.

"I'm 'intuitive.' At least, I think that's what it's called."

"Your creator must've been very smart to program you."

Imi halted.

"What's wrong?" asked Rockman. "Is there another trap?"

"No, not yet."

Roll peeked around a corner. "Where is it then?"

Imi flinched. There was a low vibration in the distance.

"It was there?" Roll said.

A nod.

Roll poked her head around the corner again. "There's a big ball coming."

Another nod.

"Okay, everybody get back."

Rockman raised an eyebrow. "Roll-chan, what are you going to do?"

The bow and arrow engulfed her arm. She pulled the string taut and shut one eye as she aimed.

"Wait!" Imi said. "It's just going to break—"

The arrow flew. Boom!

And Roll's self-satisfied smile faded to shock.

"Roll-san, run!"

Roll sprinted back toward Rockman and Imi, and the fragments of the boulder whammed the maze wall.

And all was quiet.

"That was amazing, Roll-chan!"

A splash of pink tinged her cheeks. "Thank you, Rockman."

"Come on," Imi said. "There's one more trap."

—

After much bumbling and much stumbling, Netto and Meiru left the hedges behind them and ascended the steps to Satou Manor.

"Mazeman-sama will see you when his business is finished," said the butler, who escorted them to a sitting room.

"But our navis are inside his maze!" Netto said.

"I'm afraid that's only for Mazeman-sama to remedy."

As soon as the butler left, Netto stomped out of the room.

Meiru protested. "Netto, where are you going? What about Rockman? Or Roll?"

"Everything all right, Rockman?"

"So far. We had some trouble with the traps, and there's one more a—"

"Rockman? Rockman!"

Rockman punched and kicked at the bubble that enclosed him, to no avail.

"Netto-kun, Air Shoes!"

"Right! Battle Chip: Air Shoes, slot-in!"

Rockman leaned back and pointed his buster as far away from himself as he could. In one shot, the bubble burst, and the Air Shoes lowered Rockman to safety.

"Meiru-chan! Rockman!"

Roll squirmed in her own bubble, unable to free herself.

"Roll-chan, pop it! I'll catch you!"

"Okay! Heart Slash!"

Rockman leapt high, aided by the Air Shoes, and Roll fell into his arms. "Are you all right?"

She nodded, and he lowered her to her feet. "Um…" She looked around. "Where's Imi-chan?"

Rockman scanned the sky, but there was no trace of her in the air, either. "Imi-chan? Imi-chan!"

But she was gone.

"We have to find Mazeman!" Netto said. "He can shut down this maze and find Imi."

"Look!" Rockman pointed down a passage, where light shone on the floor from a nearby turn. "That must be the exit!"

"Come on, Meiru-chan!" Netto said. "Mazeman's in this house somewhere, in his copyroid or on the net."

"Okay!"

—

Rockman grabbed a handle of the double steel doors. "You take that side; I'll get this one!"

Roll nodded and wrapped her hands around her handle. "Ready!"

"Pull!"

The doors creaked open, and the pair slipped inside.

But in Mazeman's chair, another figure sat.

"Echo!"

She rose. "It seems Mazeman has left us."

"What did you do to him?" Rockman demanded. "Tell me!"

"I did nothing. In fact, it's Mazeman that you're after."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Roll said.

"I won't deny that I deleted Cardman or Pickman. You saw that for yourselves. But I had nothing to do with the murders of Plasticman or Helmetman. That was not my doing. That was Mazeman's."

"Why should we believe that?" said Rockman.

"He's obsessed—obsessed with me. He somehow copied my appearance; I don't know how."

"That's a lie if I ever heard it!" said Roll. "It's a pathetic story!"

"I met Mazeman today, and we fought. I didn't win. Rockman!" Echo spread her arms, inviting his attack. "Shoot me, Rockman. Fight me, if you must. You'd probably win."

"Shoot her, Rockman," said Roll. "Shoot her!"

"Rockbuster!" Rockman leveled his weapon on the white navi. "Come with us, Echo. I don't want to delete you."

"I won't."

Pew, pew! The buster bolts blasted Echo in the gut. She writhed in the chair, grunted and groaned, and squeezed the armrests.

"Give up!" Rockman yelled.

"I didn't kill them! You want Mazeman!"

Pew, pew! Another pair of blasts knocked her back in the seat, and damaged data streamed from the impact, but still she persisted.

"Mazeman! Find Mazeman!"

Rockman's aim wavered. "Netto-kun, what should I do? If I shoot her again, she could—"

"She deleted Cardman and Pickman. Do what you have to, Rockman. I'm with you!"

"Got it!" His hand steady, his eyes clear, Rockman had no doubt. This was what he had to do. Pink and purple energy collected at the tip of the buster and amassed for one spectacular burst. "Charge—"

"Rockman, wait!"

"—Shot!"

The beam incinerated all in its path, and a stream of smoke trailed from the crater, but as Meiru's voice echoed and faded, the debris cleared, and Echo still sat in Mazeman's chair.

"You missed," Echo said.

Relieved, Rockman lowered his buster, which reverted to his gloved hand. "I shot where I was supposed to shoot."

"Netto! Come look at this!"

He ran down a spiral stair, where Meiru stood at the foot of the steps.

"She was right," Meiru said. "It is Mazeman after all."

Netto pored over the walls, where kana and kanji blended together like a demented line drawing, and all over, there words and phrases were bound by one theme: who, what, where, when, and why. It was the _who_ in particular, though. The one question that reared its confused head on every square inch of cream-colored paint.

"Who is Echo?"

**5**

_She wanted to touch me. Why did she want to touch me?_

"Nakamura-hakase! Nakamura-hakase, open up!"

The programmer and scientist cracked the door open. "You again? What more do you want?"

"I have a simple question. Is there a reason a navi with imitative algorithms would want to touch another navi?"

"Touch? I didn't write anything specific to touch. It's just another sense."

Mazeman's fingers crept along the doorframe. He could touch him right now, find out for himself. "Are you…quite sure, hakase?"

"Leave me be."

Mazeman lunged. "But hakase—"

Crunch! The door slammed shut on Mazeman's pinky and ring finger. He yanked the injured digits back through the door, which properly shut behind him.

"And don't come back!"

—

Mazeman favored his broken fingers as he walked back to his car. There had to be some way to figure this—

"Oof!" He collided with a yellow hooded sweatshirt.

"Pardon me," said the boy, and he bowed and went on his way.

Mazeman shook his head. "Kids."

'_I wonder if Iceman is finished at the plant today.'_

What was that?

'_Huh? What's going on?'_

"Are you talking to me?"

But the boy with the teal hood keep walking. And he didn't seem to be talking.

'_How did you do this? Who are you?'_

—

Mazeman strolled through town, on his way to nowhere. He rubbed elbows and brushed shoulders with the passers-by, and each one of them added a voice to his collection. Though the multitude of voices sometimes panicked him, every new addition emboldened him.

_At last, Echo, I understand you. So many voices, all screaming at you to set them free. They call you a monster, a beast. Even though they share your mind, they don't understand, but I do. I'm the only one who ever could!_

Despite the cacophonous chorus that colored his thoughts with discord, Mazeman knew what he had to do next. He returned to his car, drove home, and plugged himself into the net.

_I know who you are now, Echo. But the puzzle is not complete. I know who you are, but not why or where…_

—

"Oi! Open up!" Netto yanked and tugged on the door to the coupe. Inside, Mazeman's copyroid was inanimate.

"It's no good, Netto-kun," said Rockman. "He must have gone back into the net."

"Follow him!"

"Right! Echo—"

Mazeman's chair—more recently Echo's last whereabouts—spun emptily.

"Rockman-san!"

"Imi-chan!" Rockman and Roll ran up to greet her, but she dodged their touches.

"What happened, Imi-chan?" asked Roll.

"I got stuck in a bubble," she said. "How did you beat me here?"

"Never mind that," Rockman said. "We're going after Mazeman! Go back to Meiru-chan's PET!"

"Ready, Rockman?" Netto said.

"Let's go!"

"You too, Roll!" said Meiru.

"Got it!"

Imi paused for a moment. "Well, I'm not staying here." She dematerialized and followed the others.

—

"Come out, Echo, come out!" Mach Bursts rippled in every direction. They slashed at buildings and cut down innocent navis who strayed in their path. Mazeman snatched nearby navis in his grasp and tossed them aside when he copied their power. All the elements were at his disposal now—fire, water, earth, and thunder.

"The puzzle must be finished!" Fire rained from the sky and melted data under its heat.

"Mazeman! Stop this!"

The dynamic duo of Rockman and Roll blocked his path.

"Stop this madness," Rockman said. "You don't need to cause death and destruction to satisfy curiosity."

"But death and destruction are what she understands! Don't you see?"

"I don't!" said Rockman. "Stop now! Stop before more navis are hurt!"

Mazeman huffed. "You'd make good additions to my choir. Binding Tether!"

Wrapped in the grip of the tether, Rockman and Roll struggled to free themselves, but Mazeman reeled them in. He choked them in his grasp, one in each arm, and absorbed their abilities, their thoughts.

"Oh, you two are so cute together, too. Such a pity you'll never know. Thunder Spike!"

Mazeman zapped the two navis with the power of the thunder god himself; pink and blue fell to the ground, charred and smoking.

"Mazeman."

Imi, little Imi, treaded toward him. She craned her neck to meet her gaze; she hardly rose above his waist, save for the tip of her coned hat.

"You shouldn't be here, little one," said Mazeman, and he flipped his wrist to pat her head.

She ducked and stepped back, but her eyes never left his.

"What—" He blinked. "Oh-ho. I see now. I see now! It's you, isn't it?"

A nod.

"I just…wanted to know why."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm as sure as I'll ever be."

She lifted her arm, and he snatched her by the wrist.

"Yes…" he mumbled. "Yes, yes! I understand! You couldn't save him. He was already dead, wasn't he?"

A nod.

"You hear me?"

"I hear you."

"What did I have to say?"

"You thought I was boring."

"I—oh!" His eyes darted to and fro as he assimilated new information. "Yes, him! I met him!"

Her pupils widened. "You…you met Papa?" Imi's teeth sank into her lip. _He met Papa, and Papa…oh Papa, why?_

'_You were a side-effect. A broken piece of programming.'_

_No!_

"No wonder he didn't want to talk about you…"

"Be quiet."

'_Are you going to kill him? Are you going to kill _me_?'_

"It was bad enough to lose one daughter—"

"Be quiet!"

"But to have to reject another—"

She wrenched her arm from his grasp, force gathering at her fingertips. "BE QUIET!"

"Huh?"

KA-PAM!

**6**

Witnesses differ on how Mazeman was deleted. Some say he landed, that it was the fall that killed him. Others insist he broke apart in the air, that he was dead even before he was sent flying.

Most accounts agree that all or part of Mazeman was airborne for 1 minute and 37 seconds.

Only a select few understood that the mysterious shockwave didn't kill him; rather, it was his obsession with Echo.

After the battle, Rockman, Roll, and Imi returned home. Roll, of course, asked Imi what transpired between her and Mazeman and who fired the blast that killed him, but Imi only said that his words made no sense…and that the blast seemed to come from below.

Rockman resisted the urge to fire a Charge Shot in her direction to test this theory, despite Netto's suspicions and fervent approval.

As for Nakamura Hideki, he paid no attention to the news. He had a daughter to revive, after all. But in the wee hours of the morning, as he slept in his armchair, a strange sound roused him to consciousness.

"Papa?"

Was that…was that Masuyo?

"Papa? Can you hear me?"

Eyes open, snapped to attention. "What…who?"

"Papa, it's me."

He knew that voice. That voice haunted his dreams. He nearly choked to say that name again. "Imi?"

"Yes, Papa. It's me!"

Her words resonated through the whole apartment, from everything that remotely called itself a speaker. Hideki hunched over and shielded his ears with his hands, but still her voice came through, loud and clear.

"Papa, please. I need your help. I can't get rid of them; I can't get rid of the voices unless…"

Hideki shook his head. "You are beyond help, Imi. I made you wrong." This was madness, no question about it. _Where is the breaker? Got to find the breaker…_

"Papa!" She yelped, like his words stabbed her. "Papa, just…just tell me, tell me please."

_There's the box._ "I'm sorry, Imi. This is goodbye, for good this time."

"No, Papa, wait, please!"

The box opened. There were the switches.

"WHY DID YOU ABANDON ME, PAPA? PAPA!"

Flick, flick, flick, flick. The lights cut out; the speakers died. He was alone again.

"Why did you abandon me, Papa?"

He slammed the box to the circuit breaker shut and fell back against the wall. His heart pounded; his brow was damp. He wiped his hand through his hair, and for a moment, all he could do was breathe. In and out, in and out.

_I have to get out of here. I can't let her find me again._

He shut his laptop, tucked it under his arm. He picked up his bags, still packed, and marched out the door.

—

'_You thought you weren't a killer.'_

'_And now you cannot be saved.'_

'_So what do you think you can do?'_

_I'm going to delete you. I'm going to delete you all._

'_And then, Imi?'_

_Then it will all be quiet. Then Papa will take me back._


	4. Playing Roulette

**Chapter Three: Playing Roulette**

"We're almost there, Halo-san."

In the back of the limousine, the angelic Halo folded her wings and nodded. Her golden bracers sparkled in the morning sun, which poured through the windows and over her lap. The brilliant halo over her head glowed, bathing her fair hair in warm, gentle light.

And as the limousine drove past the many casinos, with their towering fountains and strobe-light signs, Halo wore a tranquil smile. Visiting Casino Row was like going to a foreign country—mammoth pyramids scraped the sky, and dark stone castles loomed overhead. Why should one ever leave Japan when a little taste of the world sat on one's doorstep?

But Halo was not here to visit. She was here on business. "We've arrived, Halo-san." The chauffeur opened the door for her and offered his gloved hand to help her out, but she declined this courtesy. Instead, Halo strode forth into her destination: the Victorian Hotel and Casino.

She marched through the parade of blinking lights and enthused cheers. She approached a chestnut slab of wood, which bore the words "Employees Only." Two burly suits stood guard on either side and touched their fingers to their ears, mumbling something.

"I'm here to see Ikeda-san. My name is Halo."

The suit on the left poked his ear again. Satisfied, he turned the doorknob and stepped through. "This way."

He guided her through a maze of corridors. The sheer number of branches surprised her; she could easily get lost in these halls, but on the other hand, she had plenty of experience with mazes.

When they reached Ikeda's office, the proud owner wished to shake the hand of his visitor, but Halo refused. "I prefer the Japanese way," she said. She bowed before him, and Ikeda, so honored, bowed in return.

They discussed their business in vague words and large numbers. How big was it? What color? Would 20 million zenny do? 30?

At last, Ikeda unveiled the prize; he placed a small box on his desk and pried the cover open, and on the fuzzy maroon felt sat a pristine black diamond.

Alas, no deal could be made. Ikeda demanded 40 million, but Halo and her operator could not pay such an exorbitant amount. As Ikeda begged Halo to reconsider ("35? Surely you can do 35!"), Halo made a strange remark.

"Your navi has been awfully quiet."

This stopped Ikeda in his tracks. He glanced at his PET, which teetered on the corner of the desk. "Oh, Rouletteman? He's off running some errands."

"I'd hoped to meet him."

"What for?"

"I'm sorry, you said 35? We could…consider 35. It will take some discussion."

At that, Ikeda grinned and shut the diamond back in its box. "Take all the time you need."

With another bow, Halo left, and Ikeda cackled. "What a fool!" he said. "They would pay 35 million zenny for a worthless piece of black glass!" He opened the box to his "diamond" and snickered. "Ahaha, what a moron. Rouletteman, when you get back, you're going to be so—"

His mirth evaporated. Where was Rouletteman? His PET…wasn't it right there? Halo had talked—

"That slimy little…"

He picked up the phone and dialed. "Security? Find the angel navi! Find her and stop her! She has something that belongs to me."

Ikeda stomped down his whitewashed halls and into the casino, where it was…quiet. The machines still chattered away, enticing would-be gamblers to play, but human and copyroid alike stared at the scene unfolding: a handful of Ikeda's security force, guns drawn, surrounded Halo, who clutched the stolen PET in her hands.

"Return Ikeda-sama's property," said the chief guard, inching ever closer to her. "Drop it now!"

"What do you think you can accomplish?" Ikeda demanded. "What do you think is in there? Nothing of consequence!"

"Everything of consequence," Halo said. "Everything that matters to me." She reared back, dashed toward the guards, and slid between the chief's legs. She sprinted for the exit; so close now, she could touch it—

BAM! The glass shattered.

BAM BAM BAM! Halo looked at her chest and gut; wire and metal splayed from the bullet wounds. She tumbled to the floor, and the copyroid fizzled out, reverting to its neutral state. Halo was gone.

"Kousuke-kun! Kousuke-kun!"

"Rouletteman!" Ikeda recovered his PET, and Rouletteman's projection appeared in his hands. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, but what happened? Who was that navi?"

"I'm not sure anymore," said Ikeda. He gazed back into the casino, where the bystanders returned to play. Even still, the mood had died with Halo. She'd succeeded in robbing one thing from him: the spirit of his casino. "It's too quiet," Ikeda said. "It's far too quiet."

"I don't know," said Rouletteman. "I like it when it's quiet."

**1**

"Netto-kun! NETTO-KUN!"

Despite his navi's cries, the youngest of the Hikari clan snored blissfully. Sure, Rockman had tried to wake Netto, but today (or rather, last night), Netto showed unusual forethought. Or, perhaps, he'd demonstrated the uncanny ability to work hard to preserve his laziness. Either way, Rockman screamed and shouted to no avail, for Netto had muted his speakers, claiming "sickness."

"NETTO-KUN! YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE!"

A grin appeared on Netto's face as he turned in bed. "Oh, Meiru-chan, you're giving me more curry?"

"You must be dreaming if you think Meiru-chan is going to just give you curry," Rockman said. _But is he dreaming more about Meiru-chan or the curry?_

On the bed, sleeping Netto smacked his lips and moaned.

_Definitely curry._

But as entertaining (and embarrassing) this spectacle was to watch, Rockman had a duty to his operator, even if said operator drooled on his pillow every now and then. _How can I wake Netto-kun like this, though?_

"Meiru-chan! Don't you have more?"

_That's it! Meiru-chan!_

—

In the Sakurai household, a young redhead peeled back the curtains of her window and eyed the house next door. There was a window on the opposite house, one which, by then, should've shown some signs of activity, but as yet, there was nothing.

"Rockman should've yelled at him up by now," Meiru mused. "I wonder what's wrong."

"Meiru-chan!"

"What is it, Roll?"

The pink navi clasped her hands together and looked around in a panic. "I can't find Imi-chan! I can't find her anywhere!"

"She does that all the time."

"But still! A little girl shouldn't go out all alone like that."

Meiru leaned down to eye level with Roll's four-inch projection. "I'm sure Imi will be fine."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

Roll let out a sigh, and her arms fell to her sides. "Okay."

Meiru smiled. _She can be a terrible worrywart._ Then she glanced back out the window, where Netto's room was still devoid of activity. Now it was her turn to sigh. _And so can I._

"Rockman!"

Meiru turned back to see her navi smothering poor Rockman with her affection.

"It's…good to see you, too, Roll-chan." How Rockman eked out that sentence, despite Roll's death tackle of doom (or love tackle of doom), Meiru did not understand. "Ah, Meiru-chan!"

"What's happened, Rockman? Why isn't Netto up by now?"

Rockman frowned. "How did you know he wasn't up yet?"

"I…um, I didn't hear you yell at him."

"She didn't see him dressing in the window, either."

"Roll!"

"I need your help, Meiru-chan," said Rockman. "Netto-kun muted the PET; I can't wake him."

_Typical Netto._ "Why would he do that?"

"He wants to pretend he's sick, so he doesn't have to go to school."

"He wants to WHAT?"

Rockman and Roll shuddered.

"There is NO WAY he's going to stay home when I have to go to school. NO WAY!" Meiru snatched her PET and stomped downstairs. "Netto has done some bone-headed things in his day, but this is—"

To Meiru's surprise, a woman approached Netto's doorstep. Her hair curled at the base of her neck into two cylindrical buns, and her jungle green dress flared outward around her knees.

"Mariko-sensei!" Meiru cried. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, Meiru-chan! Were you coming to see Netto-kun as well?"

"I was going to wake him up. He's going to be very late if he doesn't wake up and get going soon."

"Oh no, don't wake Netto-kun. He's very sick."

Meiru's jaw dangled precariously. "I don't know who told you that, Mariko-sensei, but I'm sure he's not sick at all."

"That's strange. I got a call from his father."

"Papa hasn't been home in a long time," Rockman said.

"Is that so?" Mariko's brow furrowed as she pondered the situation. "Well, as far as I'm concerned, Netto-kun has the week off until I hear otherwise. Meiru-chan, would you give him these papers? There should be everything he needs to complete this week's assignments."

"Um, okay…"

"Good! See you at school."

With the packet of papers in her hands, Meiru raised an eyebrow. "Rockman, are you sure he's not sick?"

"The way he was sleep-talking, I doubt it."

Meiru shook her head as she opened the door to Netto's house. "This doesn't make sense."

"Oh? A visitor?" Hikari Haruka stepped from behind the counter to see the arrival. "Meiru-chan! Good morning!"

"Good morning! Can I see Netto?"

"Well, he's not up yet, I don't think. Why don't you go wake him?"

_Oh, I'll wake him all right._ Meiru scampered upstairs.

"_Ne_, Rockman, what did you say Netto-san was dreaming about?" asked Roll.

"Well…"

"I bet it was food," Meiru said. "It's always food with him." She clenched the doorknob. "Okay, on the count of three—"

"Oh, Meiru-chan! More, please!"

Once again, Meiru's jaw unhinged. She massaged the soreness out, but the blood in her cheeks burned to the touch.

"Rockman?"

"Meiru-chan?"

"Did he just say—"

"It's not what you think."

She twisted the knob.

"Just one more plate! Please?"

_I should have known._ "NO MORE CURRY, NETTO! WAKE UP!"

"Gah!" Netto sprang up, right into Meiru's death glare. He scrambled backward but ran out of room when he hit the wall. "Why no more curry?"

"You can get plenty of curry, Netto, _after school_."

"But—"

"And I'm not your curry delivery girl, either!"

"You—you heard that?"

She invaded his wardrobe and smothered him with an orange vest. "Get dressed; we're going. Also…" Spotting his PET, Meiru toggled the mute switch. "…don't do that to Rockman again!" The door slammed, and Netto sat on his bed, flabbergasted.

"_Hai_, Meiru-sama."

—

"So you didn't ask Papa to call Mariko-sensei?" asked Rockman.

"I didn't! I swear!"

"I bet he faked it," said Meiru.

Brakes screeched in front of them. A car squealed to a stop at Netto's house, and the owner, with his angled glasses and the number 19 emblazoned on his shirt, rolled down his window.

"Meijin-san!"

" '_-san' wa iranai._ Netto-kun, get in the car."

"What's going on?"

"You're ill; you need to go to the hospital."

"I do?"

"Yes, you do."

Netto climbed in without further argument.

"Hey, what about me?" cried Meiru.

"Are you ill, too?"

Meiru held her fist to her mouth and coughed. "How about that?"

Meijin shook his head, raised his window, and—

"Meijin-san, wait!"

" '_-san' wa iranai!_" Of course, there's no need for "-san" when the person you're talking to is burning rubber to flee.

"Hmph," Meiru said. "Netto gets all the fun."

In the sedan, Netto peered out the back window at the griping Meiru. "Meijin-san, where are we going?"

"Have you ever been to a casino?"

**2**

'_You can't fool my Kousuke-kun forever! You'll get caught!'_

"Rouletteman" rolled his eyes.

"Oh, Rouletteman, this is a disaster," said Ikeda, who pressed his palms into his forehead, as if to squeeze the headache from his skull. "A disaster! Do you have any idea what kind of a PR fiasco this is?"

_Aren't you glad he's worried about you?_

'_He'd be worried if he knew you were an imposter!'_

"PR is PR," Imi quipped. "Whether it's good or bad is all a matter of spin."

A light bulb lit up over Ikeda's head. He sat up. "I like that. What are you thinking?"

"Since Halo was after me," Imi said, "you can assure the customers that none of them were in any danger, and that if need be, you would leave your own hotel and sequester yourself for the safety of your patrons. It's deliciously self-sacrificing."

"And go where?"

"What?"

"Where would we go?"

"…I don't know."

"How would we live? If we left…there might not be any widescreen televisions or king-sized beds. And what about the jacuzzi? Oh good heavens, Rouletteman, what were you thinking?"

_He's like this all the time, isn't he._

'_Don't insult Kousuke-kun! He's worked hard and come far to earn these comforts.'_

_Yes, by swindling people._

'_Gambling is not swindling!'_

_So I should forget the rock he tried to sell me._

'_That's different!'_

"Don't say I didn't warn you when you wake up tomorrow and find reservations canceled," Imi said. "Do you want a cushy life now or a cushy life later?"

"Both."

Imi sighed. "Kousuke-kun…"

"All right, all right! Make a reservation in Kingland. It's nice there this time of year."

"Is it nice there _any_ time of year?"

"This was your idea."

"Kingland it is. Anything else?"

"No, no. Take a rest, Rouletteman. You were nearly taken from me today. In fact, I'll make the reservation, but first…" He dialed the phone. "Yes, is this the Net Police?"

Flinch. "Kousuke-kun, do you really think that's—"

"Don't argue, Rouletteman!" said Ikeda. "Whether we're leaving or not, I want protection. Ah, yes, Kifune-soukan? Yes, my name is Ikeda Kousuke, I…yes! Oh you would? That's wonderful, thank you. Yes, I will let you know. Thank you again! Oh, and if you or subordinates would like a free—hello? Kifune-soukan?" He hung up. "Well, they're sending one of their best Net Saviors. And so fast, too! Isn't that great?"

"Great!" Imi said. _Great, just great. You know, I liked your operator better when he was more self-absorbed and less rational._

'_Kousuke-kun will find you out! And if he doesn't, the Net Savior surely will!'_

_Blah, blah. Be quiet._

'_And they'll get you for what you did to Cardman! And to Halo, too.'_

Imi squirmed.

'_What's the matter, Echo? Not proud of what you've done anymore?'_

She squirmed again, as if bitten by a flee she couldn't swat, couldn't spot.

_Cardman was necessary._

'_And Halo?'_

Halo was an opportunity, a chance she couldn't afford to squander. It would've been trivially easy to delete Rouletteman by smashing him underfoot.

'_It didn't have to be her, though. It could've been anyone.'_

Well, if one were pedantic this was false. Halo was seeing Ikeda that day, not anyone else, but Rouletteman was right: it could've been anyone, and that's what bothered Imi. What if it had been Roll? Would she have taken her form, replaced her and deleted her?

Lemons and strawberries. Roll was not Halo; Halo was not Roll. Roll chewed her out for coming and going at will. Roll toured Internet City with her and took her to the coliseum to watch battles. Roll tried to touch her when she wasn't looking.

_It must hurt her that I always shy away from her._ And it hurt Imi, too, not to know the comfort of a gentle pat or tight embrace. But for Imi to deny her could pain Roll only so much. After all, she had—

"Hikari Netto, Net Savior, at your service!"

Rockman. He hovered over Netto's shoulder. He met Imi's gaze, but he was oblivious to her true identity, for all he saw was the roulette wheel personified.

Roll had Rockman. She shared all manner of physical pleasures with him. Hand-holding and hugging and…oh, what did they call it? Oh yes, _glomping_.

"Eh?" Ikeda slipped out of his chair. "You're a Net Savior? You're just a kid!"

"I've been a Net Savior for a long time!" said Netto.

"It was one thing for you to warn me about Echo; there's no way you're going to be my bodyguard!"

"Rockman will be Rouletteman's bodyguard; we will protect him."

Ikeda squinted at Rockman's projection. "This little blue squirt can protect my Rouletteman?"

"Rockman and I can do anything!"

"Please. If I had to bet on you—"

"We can prove it, can't we, Rockman?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Netto-kun. We're supposed to protect Rouletteman, not—"

"One battle," Netto said. "Rockman against Rouletteman."

_Fight Rockman? No, no no no! If I touch him…_ "Kousuke-kun, perhaps we should—"

"A battle? What a marvelous idea!"

_Oh no._

—

On a dark stage, two operators and their navis waited in silence as mumblings and chatter rippled through the stands around them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, in the east corner…"

_This isn't boxing, you know._

"…two-time runners-up to Ijuuin Enzan at the N1 Grand Prix…"

"Only because they wouldn't let me use _juuka_ chips in the tournament!" Netto said.

"…and stars of the upcoming feature film _Nebula: The Dark Reign of Dr. Regal_…"

"There's a movie?" Ikeda said. "All the better! Think of the publicity!"

"…I present to you Hikari Netto and Rockman!"

The spotlight bathed Netto in light, and the spectators in their seats erupted in applause. Netto bowed before them struck a pose. "Plug-in, Rockman EXE! Transmission!"

Rockman's image appeared beneath the central projector. He waved bashfully as the audience cheered his arrival.

"In the west corner, hailing from the island of Okinawa, masters of the Victorian Hotel and Casino, Ikeda Kousuke and Rouletteman!"

The applause for Ikeda and Rouletteman was much more muted, but Ikeda far from deterred. "It's all right; we can still give them a show. Plug-in, Rouletteman! Transmission!"

Rouletteman appeared on the projector and spun his central wheel. "Ready."

"Let's have a good match, Rouletteman," said Rockman, "but don't get yourself hurt."

"Nor you, Rockman," Imi said. "Nor you."

"Match start!"

"Rockbuster!"

"Roulette Wheel!"

A spinning wheel materialized in front of Rouletteman; it halted the buster blasts, and a shiny metal ball navigated the outer track of the wheel. "Watch my wheel, Rockman," Imi said. "It will determine your fate."

The ball drifted off the track and into the green 00 slot. It reappeared in Rouletteman's hand. "Perfect. Double Zero Blasts!"

Dozens of roulette balls emerged from the ground at Rockman's feet, and they exploded in a cataclysmic chain.

"Rockman!" Netto cried.

"There's no way he survived that," Ikeda said. "Good work, Rou—"

_Please, he's not done yet. This is Rockman we're talking about. _"Hedged Bets!" Twin wheels boomeranged toward the blast site.

"Battle Chip: Samurai Sword, slot-in!"

Kink, slash! The sword sliced through the wheels, and Rockman stepped out of the smokescreen, blade in hand.

"No matter," Imi said. "Let the ball decide! Roulette Wheel!"

Another wheel appeared, and the ball stuck on 35. "Black 35! Double Cannon!" Twin barrels enveloped Rouletteman's arms, and two yellow globes sprang from the cannons.

"Battle Chip: Vulcan, double slot-in!"

Vulcan fire eroded one globe, and the other fragmented, crashing into the floor.

"Roulette Wheel!"

"Rockman, we have to stop that wheel!" Netto said.

"But how can we—"

The ball drifted off the track. Where would it land?

"Rockbuster!" Pew! The bolt knocked the ball off the wheel, and it rolled away.

_This operator of yours is slow_._ I'm practically on my own here._

'_He hasn't had to do much battling lately. You must give him some time.'_

The mouth of Rockman's buster locked on to Imi. "I know your trick, Rouletteman. Now it's our turn!"

Pew, pew!

Ting, smash! Shattered roulette wheels fell from the sky and vanished. But where was Rouletteman?

"There! Rockman!"

Imi's Samurai Sword stuck in the floor as Rockman leapt away.

"Rouletteman!" Ikeda cried. "Where did you get that?"

_Maybe if you'd give me a chip I wouldn't have to use one myself!_

"Battle Chip: Yo-yo, slot-in!"

The Yo-yo smacked Imi in the face; she rolled out of her tumble and came to her knees with a Vulcan in hand. Rockman dashed to escape the Vulcan's fire and countered with three quick buster bolts. Pew, pew, pew! Hit, hit, hit!

Imi staggered to her feet. _Winning doesn't matter. As long as we can keep this a projectile match—_

'_You must win for the dignity of Kousuke-kun!'_

_Be qui—wait, shouldn't you be rooting for Rockman?_

'_Good point. Rockman, delete this affront to my image! Hurry!'_

_Now be quiet._

"Don't worry, Rouletteman! Battle Chip: Barrier, slot-in!"

_Oh, _now_ you give me a Barrier..._

"We can cut through that, Rockman! Battle Chip: Aqua Blade, slot-in!"

Rockman sprinted toward Imi's barrier. He jumped forward, lifted the Aqua Blade over his head, and demolished the Barrier with the force of his blow.

But his Aqua Blade clashed against another, against Rouletteman's.

_Don't struggle, Rockman, please!_

He refused to heed her warning. He swiped with his free hand; he kicked and swatted at her, and she jerked and wiggled to avoid his touch.

"Stop, Rockman," Imi said. "Stop, please!"

He jabbed again. "Are you hurt?"

"No, but—"

"It's all right; we don't have to get carried away. Just do your best!" Punch, kick, thrust. Dodge, roll, parry.

"I don't want to hurt you!"

"But I'm the one who's winning!"

"Battle Chip: Wide Sword, Long Sword, double slot-in!"

Rockman's dual swords chopped and cut at Imi, who backpedaled to evade him. Even a missed attack could result in unwanted bodily contact. This battle had to end, even…even at the cost of her cover.

"If you touch me, I'll have no choice," Imi said.

"I don't understand," said Rockman. "It's just a battle."

"I'm not talking about the battle! If you touch me, I'll have to delete you. It's the only way!"

"What?" Rockman halted; he dropped his guard. "What are you saying?"

"What's wrong, Rockman?" asked Netto. "Keep fighting!"

Ikeda grinned. "Now's our chance, Rouletteman! Battle Chip: Flame Tower, slot-in!"

Imi faced away from Rockman and let the tower burn itself off in a harmless direction.

"What are you doing?" Ikeda said. "Attack!"

"Do you understand what I'm saying, Rockman?" asked Imi.

The crowd roared its disapproval of the standoff. "Come on, we want a fight!" "I didn't pay to talking; I paid to see fighting!"

"I don't understand," said Rockman. "What are you—"

"Let's go, Rockman!" Netto pulled three chips from his pouch. "Battle Chip—"

"Netto-kun, wait!"

"Fumikomizan, Paladin Sword, Fumikomi Cross, triple slot-in!"

_Ugh, a close-range Program Advance…_

Rockman brandished the sparkling Paladin Sword of the "Evil Cut" and pointed the tip at Imi.

_I can't copy that; we'll clash. A Barrier won't stand up to it. He'll follow me through an Area Steal, if I even have the time to—_

"What's this?" Ikeda said. "Who's trying to get into my PET?"

_It's him!_

"Prepare yourself, Rouletteman," Rockman said. "I'm coming!"

_Where are you? Where did you try to come from?_

"Akuretsuzan!"

_There you are, Rouletteman. You aren't safe from me._

Rockman charged; he slashed at Rouletteman from above, from below, from left and right and diagonally, but his Paladin Sword hit nothing but air.

"Rouletteman" had plugged out.

A plethora of boos and catcalls bombarded the stage. "Is this a joke?" "You've got to be kidding!" "I want my money back!"

"Rouletteman!" Ikeda shook his PET. "Rouletteman, where are you? Rouletteman!"

**3**

Where was Rouletteman? He was doing Ikeda's business, of course.

"You say you have fragments of Mazeman?"

"Yes, just a moment." The shopkeeper tiptoed into a storage room.

Rouletteman flicked the wheel in his chest. Maybe this time it would land on a lucky number; thus far, at least, his bets had come up empty. Why Ikeda wanted Mazeman's salvaged data Rouletteman couldn't fathom, but far be it for Rouletteman to let his friend and master's wishes go unfulfilled. If Ikeda desired a new showpiece for the hotel museum, so be it.

That didn't mean Rouletteman would enjoy it.

In the aftermath of his demise, all manner of scavengers and collectors recovered what they could of Mazeman's data, and though the Net Police were quick to round up most of the offenders (for "tampering with a crime scene"), a fair few escaped persecution, but their temporary reprieve did little to assuage their fears of arrest. Of the half-dozen navis that Rouletteman questioned about buying pieces of Mazeman, three denied all knowledge of Mazeman, two accused him of being a cop, and the last one tried to peddle him digital corn ("Oh, you want maize, do you?").

And now Rouletteman's seventh candidate dawdled in his storage room. "Do you have it or not?" Rouletteman said. "My operator is only so patient!"

"Are you a cop?"

_Not again._ At that, Rouletteman left the shop. Who'd have thought the hardest part about buying a dead navi's data would be finding a willing seller?

"Hey, did you hear about that?" "They shot her, you know. I don't think she lived."

Curious, Rouletteman looked at the wall of news feeds. _Huh, a navi tried to steal a PET in a commercial copyroid? From a casino? That's suicide; a navi's no stronger than a human in one of those! That's—_

Images of the gray, inert copyroid flashed on the virtual screen, and Ikeda Kousuke hovered over the corpse.

_Kousuke-kun! They—she—tried to steal me! I need to get back to him!_

He closed his eyes, and…

…

…

…they opened to the jutting skyscrapers and crowded streets of Internet City.

"What is this?" said Rouletteman. "I can't get back to my PET? Have the access codes been changed?"

"It's all right. You won't have to go back there ever again."

He choked; he trembled as he faced her—those amber-red eyes pierced his body. Her outstretched hand, clad in fern-colored arm-length gloves, beckoned him. Her silken dress flapped in the breeze.

"Echo!" he yelped. "Y-you killed Cardman! He was my friend, you know! A-a-and I don't abide by strange, beautiful navis murdering my friends!"

"Do you abide by them murdering you?"

"What?"

"Mach Burst!" Her fingers shot forward, and time and space buckled in an undulating tide. The shockwave toppled Rouletteman and dug grooves in the road.

"You are weak," Echo said. "Your thoughts have clouded mine for long enough!"

"Stop!"

Rockman pounced into the battle, shielding Rouletteman behind him.

"Stop this, Echo!" he said. "Stop this, or I will stop you!"

"Then stop me, Rockman! Hyper Burst!"

"Ahh." Rouletteman groaned. "What hap—eh?" Rouletteman discovered Rockman below him, carrying him on his back.

"Why did you leave our battle, Rouletteman?"

"Our what? I haven't been in any battle!"

White light, beam bright, aimed for them…

"Netto-kun!"

"Battle Chip: Area Steal, slot-in!"

And the Hyper Burst that hurtled toward them vanished; instead, they faced Echo's flank.

"Dead End!" Mazeman's trademark attack crashed upon them from above. Rockman and Rouletteman struggled, but the maze wall pinned them firm.

"Now for a new trick," Echo said. "Flame Tower! Mach Burst!" As the tower tracked toward the trapped navis, the Mach Burst passed through it. The column of flame wavered and flared. It burned out on top of them…

"My," Rouletteman said, "that was—"

…and engulfed them in a supersonic inferno.

"Rouletteman? Rouletteman!"

The flames seared his eyeballs; they charred and ripped at his data. Rouletteman staggered from the pillar of fire. Through crackling embers bored into this body and carved pits of smoking bits in his legs, he crawled from his funeral pyre and skittered away.

And as for Rockman…

"Battle Chip: Kanketsusen, slot-in!"

The geyser extinguished the flames, and Rockman emerged from clouds of smoke and steam—dazed, fried, but alive.

And with Rouletteman nowhere to be found, Echo—Imi—did the one thing she could.

"Rouletteman? Where did you go?"

"Here, Rockman," Imi said. "I'm right here."

—

Ikeda pounded his fist into the desk. "What were you thinking? What were you doing? Do you realize how much flak we got for that stunt of yours? People want their money back!"

"Are you going to give it to them?" Imi said.

"Of course not!"

"It might ease some of the tension."

"What would ease _my_ tension is knowing _why_ you left mid-battle to take a stroll through Internet City!"

_I was _trying_ to delete your navi. _"It won't happen again, Kousuke-kun."

"I hope not," Rockman said. "Echo is very dangerous. You shouldn't go alone like that again."

"How did she find you?" Netto wondered. "Rockman, do you think—"

"I have no doubt," said the navi. "Echo wants to kill you, Rouletteman, just like she did Cardman."

"Why? What does she want? What did I ever do to her?"

—

"_Like this?" Rouletteman pried Sonicman's mouth open._

"_Yes, like that," Grove said, "but tilt his head back."_

_He moved his hand to the back of Sonicman's skull. "How do I—" With only one hand to hold it open, Sonicman's mouth snapped shut. "Yow!"_

"_I'll do it myself!" Grove shoved Rouletteman out of the way, and her nimble vines did the work his clumsy fingers could not._

—

"I don't know," Rockman said. "I don't understand her."

_Poor Rockman. He doesn't understand me, and how could he? How could he know what it's like…_

'_To share your thoughts with another? With us?'_

_Yes. Now be quiet._

"But I will protect you. I will keep you safe."

_Ah, but can you keep me safe from myself? Safe from them?_

—

The hours passed in the Victorian Casino with Netto and Rockman tethered to their charges. As Ikeda filled out paperwork, Netto stared at his homework. As Ikeda welcomed visitors and guests to his casino, Netto and his orange vest clashed vehemently with Ikeda's dual-tone red-and-black suit. As Ikeda sliced off slivers of asparagus for lunch, Netto wolfed down plate after plate of curried venison and rice (all compliments of the host, of course).

Yet as darkness loomed over Densan Town, Hikari Netto leaned against the exterior wall of the casino, his hands behind his head. His lips puckered, and his cheeks tensed, as if he sucked on a peppermint candy.

"Netto-kun?" His navi sat on his left shoulder. His feet dangled over Netto's collarbone.

"It doesn't make sense, does it, Rockman?"

"No, it doesn't."

"I don't understand it."

"Me neither."

"I mean, in a hotel like this…"

"In a hotel like this?"

"How could the curry be so mediocre?"

"I thought we were talking about Echo."

"I thought we were talking about curry."

"I thought we were talking about Echo."

"Well, I was talking about curry. It was mediocre."

"You ate three plates, and it was 'mediocre'? How is that possible?"

"I was hungry."

"You're always hungry. You're hungry when you're awake, when you're asleep, in your dreams."

"Can we not talk about dreams?"

"How many plates did Meiru-chan serve you in the dream?"

"Rockman!"

"Five? Ten?"

"It was seven! Just seven!"

"Seven plates of curry! Netto-kun, if you eat that much, you'll get fat like you did on our trip to Namaste."

"I know."

A beat.

"What were you saying about Echo?" asked Netto.

"She knew where Rouletteman was," said Rockman. "She got there even before I could."

"She's strong."

"She is. I don't think Halo's attack earlier today was a coincidence, either."

"What's the connection?"

"I don't know."

"Then we should find out!"

"I don't think it's a good idea to leave Rouletteman all alone, Netto-kun."

"Isn't that what we're doing now?"

"That's different."

"Oh." Netto's brow wrinkled. "So how—"

"Leave it to us!"

Netto blinked. "Meiru-chan?!"

**4**

"Agh!" Rouletteman slipped and crashed his shoulder into a wall. The contortions of picking himself up widened a gash in his abdomen, which spewed raw data.

"Help me!" he cried. "Someone—" He glanced back. Was she there? Did she follow him? If he yelled, would she find him?

He stumbled through garbage and discarded files. His own data tinged the air and tickled his nose. A sharp, tingly smell, like inhaling pixie dust. Was this how blood smelled to humans?

Trip, fall, pavement. His roulette wheel splintered and cracked. Myriad cuts on his hands hemorrhaged his identity, his memories. The world fragmented one brick, one block of data, at a time. The towers and their imposing metal superstructure, the navis and their polished armor, the roads and their spotless surfaces—they broke into particles and scattered, and an azure haze descended around Rouletteman. The haze was him, and he was the haze, and soon they would both be nothing, nothing, nothing…

"_Nani?_" A brown-skinned navi, with sky blue boots and bracers and a headdress of tribal feathers, dropped a box of junk data and prodded Rouletteman with his tomahawk, but the prone navi didn't stir.

"Gutsman! Come out here; help me with this!"

—

"_Don't resist. Grove's vines are very strong."_

_But she resisted. Halo yanked and pulled on the vines, but they tightened their grip on her._

"_Your operator wants you to meet Ikeda Kousuke tomorrow, doesn't he?"_

"_Why are you doing this? Let me go!"_

"_Tell me what I need to know."_

"_No!"_

"_Then I will take what I need from your mind." Echo snatched Halo's hand and closed her eyes._

"_What are you doing? Let go of me! Let go!"_

"_I see, a diamond." Echo's hold relaxed, and Halo wrenched her wrist free, but the vines still entangled her._

"_Did you get what you wanted?" Halo said._

"_I did."_

"_Then let me go!"_

"_No…"_

"_No? What more do you want? What more—"_

"_You must be quiet."_

"_I won't be quiet! I won't sit by while you steal secrets from my mind!"_

"_If only you'd be quiet…"_

"_I won't be quiet! Why should I be quiet? You're the one who attacked me!"_

"_I had no intention of—"_

"_Of what? Of trapping me in these vines? Of reading my thoughts?"_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_You'd better be sorry! When my—" Halo choked on the Paladin Sword. The vines vanished, and so did she._

_And Echo glowed in white light. She emerged with holy bow and angel wings…and sparkling halo overhead._

Meiru closed the window, and the Hikari boys appeared on the screen. "It's just like you thought, Rockman. Halo was Echo the whole time."

"She must've been waiting for a chance to delete Rouletteman all day," Netto said.

"There are still unanswered questions," Rockman said. "Too many questions."

"We're coming back to help," Meiru said.

"Wait, Meiru-chan!" said Netto. "Could you do something for me?"

"What?"

"Just a small favor…"

—

" 'A small favor,' huh? Seven orders of curry!" Meiru stomped her foot into the concrete as she motored along on her scooter. "I swear, that Netto—"

"He did say he'd repay you for the favor, Meiru-chan."

"He wouldn't know how to repay me, that idiot." Passing the worn statue of Mahajarama, Meiru folded her scooter. "Do you hear me, Hikari Netto? I'M NOT YOUR CURRY DELIVERY GIRL!"

All the same, she opened the door to Maha Ichiban. She expected to find Dingo and Dekao shooting the breeze over sizzling plates and steaming tea. Instead, the two operators pounded chips into their PETs, and their navis froze, cauterized, and sealed the wounds of a fallen navi.

"Meiru-chan, look!" cried Roll. "The navi! It's Rouletteman!"

**5**

"Are you sure this is what you want to do, Rockman?"

"I'm sure."

"If he's really Echo—"

"You'll be ready."

"I'll be ready. Good luck."

His navi nodded and vanished into the cyberworld. All Netto could do was watch and wait…and twirl a battle chip between his fingers.

Rockman materialized in a model room, where two tall armchairs faced a virtual hearth. Digital firelight flickered and cast unsteady shadows on his face—on his and Rouletteman's. Rockman lowered himself into the empty chair; Rouletteman's gaze remained on the fireplace.

"Rouletteman, can I ask you something?"

"Ask me what?" said Rouletteman.

"During our battle, you said if I touched you, you'd have to delete me. What did you mean by that?"

"I meant what I said."

"But what does that mean?"

"I can't explain."

"I see." A pause. "You don't seem too injured."

"I'm just fine."

"Echo's attack was very powerful."

"What do you think of her? Of Echo?"

"She's tough."

"She deleted Cardman and Pickman."

"I think she had something to do with Mazeman, too."

"And now she's after me for some reason."

"I wish I knew why."

"Don't you have any ideas?"

"It all has to do with Pickman's attack at the music store, I'm sure."

"But they must have done something to her," said Rouletteman.

"I don't know how. One moment she was there; the next she was gone. And she came after Cardman specifically."

"The reason must be very dire, to kill so unflinchingly."

"I can't imagine a good reason to murder innocent navis."

"Few navis are truly innocent, Rockman. We all have our fears and doubts. We all have a weakness, a flaw. Don't you have such a weakness?"

"I'm afraid of ghosts a little. Well, more than a little."

"I'm not talking about simple phobias. What do you truly _fear_?"

Rockman pondered the question. "I don't like to let people down. I wouldn't forgive myself if I disappointed Netto-kun or let someone be hurt because of me."

Rouletteman nodded. "I have a great flaw, Rockman, and…I fear that it can't be fixed, that no matter what I do to ease my pain, there will be no relief. I've done things, hurt people and navis, to stem my suffering, but I think that road leads to more pain—for me, for everyone. It hurts me because I have to go against friends, navis I respect and love. What can I do, Rockman? What should I do? Can I be expected, be compelled, to live with this pain of mine forever?"

"I don't know," said Rockman, "but I can't allow you to cause any more suffering."

"What are you saying?"

"When I rescued you in Internet City, you didn't seem to know me. It was like I'd saved a completely different navi."

"And?"

"I don't know what you've gone through, but I know that the pain you endure doesn't justify inflicting more on others."

Rouletteman huffed. "You don't know my pain; you can't. You can't after all. I was a fool to think you could."

Rockman looked to the fire. Its flames danced and melted together. It was beautiful and deadly, just like—

Just like _her_.

"You are Echo, aren't you?"

He glanced at his companion, but instead of the black and red casino game, the white navi sat in the chair.

"Where is Rouletteman?" Rockman demanded. "What did you do to the real one?"

"He escaped," Echo said. "He must have escaped."

"Why are you after him? What did he do?"

A single tear splashed on the floor. "They touched me! They touched me, and I hear them! I hear them even now; they don't leave me alone. They don't let me sleep. They are alive in my mind, as alive as you or me. They are my flaw, Rockman. I can't know love—I can't know myself—until I silence them, until I silence them all."

"I…I can't—"

"Am I a monster? Am I a monster like they always said I was? Do monsters feel regret or remorse? Do they even feel pain?"

"It's not enough," Rockman said. "It's not enough to be sorry for the things you've done. You have to resolve not to do them anymore."

Echo nodded. "You are very wise, Rock—" The gold and green blade of a Neo Variable Sword hovered below her chin.

"Surrender, Echo. If anything you told me tonight is true, you don't like what you've become. This is your chance."

"I…" Her tears dripped on the blade. "I—"

"Rockman!"

Roll, Gutsman, and Tomahawkman materialized behind them, along with another…

"Rouletteman!" Rockman said. "How—"

"Tomahawkman found him _de gutsu_."

"Netto!" Their operators—Meiru, Dekao, and Dingo—arrived at Netto's side. "Our Rouletteman is the real one," Meiru said. "The other one must be Echo!"

"I know!" said Rockman. "She's right—" The chair was empty; his sword threatened nothing but air. "Where—"

Behind him, Echo stared down Rouletteman, who limped toward her. "You impersonated me! You brought shame to my Kousuke-kun! You…agh!" He fell to a knee, gritting his teeth.

"Do you see, Rockman?" Echo said. "I _am_ the monster they accused me of being. There is no avoiding it."

"No, Echo! You don't need to do this! You can stop!"

"I can't stop! Mach Burst!"

Rockman tackled Rouletteman and absorbed the wavefront himself. His body rippled and pulled as the wave plowed through him, and Rockman skidded against the ground.

"Tomahawk Air Raid!"

"Guts Hammer!"

"Heart Slash!"

The ground cracked beneath Echo, and tomahawks and hearts pierced her dress, but she bore the assault and countered with her own. "Roots of the Earth!"

Root and vine wrapped and bound the five navis, and tapered thorns sunk into their armor.

"I'm sorry, everyone," Echo said. She approached Rouletteman, who panted and groaned as the thorns lengthened within his body. She thrust her arm forward, and space warped around her fingers. "I'm sorry, but there's only one way for me to fix myself."

"Battle Chip: Soul Unison – Fire Soul, slot-in!"

In the web of foliage, Rockman transformed. In gray and crimson red, with burners on his hands and devouring flames for hair, he torched the vines that bound him, him and his friends.

"Impressive, Rockman," Echo said, "but I can do that, too!" Echo's white dress bolded and deepened to gray, and her forest greens gloves sparked in flame. "There is nothing you can do that I can't copy!"

"That's what I was counting on," Netto said. "Now, everyone! A water-based chip!"

Roll slammed her hand into the ground. "Go! Aqua Tower!"

"Kanketsusen!" cried Gutsman.

"Aqua Blade!" yelled Tomahawkman.

Showered in water from all sides, Fire Soul Echo writhed and corroded. Knocked out of soul unison, her dress fragmented, and her hair sagged and frayed.

"Press the attack!" Dingo said. "Tomahawkman!"

"Rolling Toma—"

"Wait!" Back to his normal self, Rockman held back his companion and locked his buster on the defeated navi. "Give up, Echo! Stop the madness, please!"

She mumbled to the floor. "I can't give up, Rockman. You won't either, will you?"

"No. We won't."

"I wouldn't ask you to." She rose. "I won't stop. I will go after them, and you will protect them. I hope, for your sake, that you succeed. Maybe if you can save them, you can save me as well."

She plugged out.

—

"Oh, Meiru-chan, you're giving me more curry?"

Meiru slid the plate along the table with no regard for whether it stayed on or fell off the side. To his credit, Netto caught the sliding saucer and consumed the contents. "Meiru-chan! Don't you have more?"

The redhead muttered something unintelligible.

The rest of the group ate more peacefully. Dingo and Dekao ribbed each other about who would get a raise next. Ikeda, far from lamenting the bad publicity or scheming to make (or steal) an honest zenny, sat alone with Rouletteman and sipped green tea.

In the cyberworld, Rockman and Roll faced a pair of formidable opponents in Gutsman and Tomahawkman. Instead of brutal combat with swords and projectiles, the four battled over an orange sphere with black lines. They swatted at it and tossed it and hoped to sink it within the confines of a red hoop and hollow white net.

And on the sidelines, Imi watched the spectacle and laughed when Rockman ducked between Gutsman's legs and scored an easy lay-up.

_These are my friends._

'_And yet you hurt them.'_

'_You fight them.'_

'_And they fight you.'_

_That's the way it has to be. That's the way it will be, until all is quiet._

'_Aren't you afraid?'_

'_Afraid of hurting them?'_

'_Afraid they'll hurt you?'_

Imi's fingers ran down her arm, kicking up a light spray of loose data. _I'm not afraid. They are strong; they will survive._

The three voices—Grove, Slateman, and Rouletteman—spoke, for once, in unison. _'But at what cost?'_

Rockman passed the ball to Roll, but Tomahawkman intercepted it and broke down the court. He dunked it and cheered, and Gutsman lifted him into the air to celebrate their victory. Rockman and Roll, however, faced one another. They hadn't moved an inch since the stolen pass. Roll walked off the court, and Rockman's feet stayed locked in cement.

_I don't know, but it's a cost that must be paid, whatever it is._

'_And if one of them should touch you?'_

_Then I will show them the same treatment I show you. I won't hesitate; I'll delete them where they stand._

'_You're not as strong as you think, as they think.'_

_And I'm glad for it._

Weary of the voices that plagued her, Imi turned her attention to the real world, where squabbling over curry seemed the order of the day.

"Just one more plate, please?"

"NO MORE CURRY, NETTO!"


	5. Heart of Stone

**Chapter Four: Heart of Stone**

_Who ever heard of baiting a hook with a pile of rocks?_

Slateman brushed some dust from his joints. His shin and thigh ground into each other at the knee and expelled shavings with each step. His body—composed of long, hexagonal prisms for arms and legs; a solid slab for his chest; and small, molded joints—lumbered forward, and the ground shook under his weight. He walked because that was his purpose: to walk and wait.

_And be bait._

From time to time, he glanced down the alleys or at the tops of the buildings he passed. He caught sight of a glassy reflection from a sniper scope, but his green armor disappeared below the roof line. A flash of red and white danced between buildings. On the other side of the street, a pair of yellow antennae strolled along, peeking into the shop windows, and at his back, a blue helmet bobbed through the crowd.

_If I can see them, don't you think _she_ can see them, too?_

It was no matter, though. With the five of them working together, did Echo even stand a chance? Sure, she could copy a program advance. Big deal. There are lots of program advances. She's been on the brink of deletion a couple times now, right? Only reason they had to lay this trap was because the slacker Net Agents let her get away.

_But I won't let you get away, Echo. I'll crush you under my fist and rub you into the ground._

"Oof!" A female navi in gold and navy, with lightning rods on her shoulders, landed on her rear. "Watch where you're going!"

"You watch where you're going," Slateman said.

Where was that Echo? What was taking her so long? Perhaps she'd caught wind of the trap; if they'd been smart, they wouldn't have even told him about it. That way he wouldn't be looking for Searchman on the rooftops or Blues in the alleys. But no! No, no, no. These Net Agents—Net "Saviors"—needed his help. Nay, they demanded his help. Not that this was entirely unjustified, but still, if these are the people and navis dedicated to defending the world, you'd think they could do it _by themselves_.

Slateman looked back again. Sure enough, there was Rockman, doing his best to avoid eye contact, to avoid anything that would reveal his presence to Echo, if she were out there.

And someone else was there, too. "You got a problem?" Slateman said.

Ms. Lightning Rod shoved her way next to him. "I think you should apologize to me."

"Is that so?"

"It is."

"Hmph. I don't have time for games. Get lost." Insanity—that's what this baiting game was. Doing this in public, with all these other navis who could get involved…they would just get themselves hurt. They would just get themselves _killed_. They were useless, a distraction. And Slateman had no patience for distractions. As a point of fact, he had very little patience at all.

"Where are you, Echo? You want to kill me? Well, come on! Kill me!"

"Maybe she should."

Slateman groaned. "What did I tell you, Lightning Rod? Get—"

Pearly white heels, a matching dress. Fern gloves and hair and dead red eyes. "Maybe I should."

And the fabric of space and time bent and curved to the will of her fingers.

**1**

"_The four of you will be assigned to protect Slateman," Kifune said, and the two operators in front of him—Netto and Meiru—nodded in unison with the pair on the screen behind—Enzan and Laika. "You will lead Echo to our designated traps, where she will be disabled or, if necessary, deleted outright."_

"Mach Burst!"

"Searchman, fire at will!"

"Understood!" As Slateman flew back under the force of the burst, Echo approached him. Searchman acquired the target in the crosshairs of his Scope Gun and…TCH-CHEW!

A brown, earthen labyrinth erupted from the ground. The shot destroyed an outer section, but countless barriers remained. Shot after shot rang out from Searchman's Scope Gun, but with every wall demolished, another rose to take its place. "Laika-sama, it's no good. I can't get a clear shot."

"If we can't shoot through it, then we'll shoot over it. Battle Chip: Air Shoes, slot-in!"

With that, Searchman bounded upward for the highest vantage point he could find.

—

"Come on, bring it!" Slateman punched through the maze, and amidst the rubble, he faced Echo. He swiped and swung at her with winding uppercuts and buried her under an avalanche of summoned stone. He spat on the pile. "You weren't so tough."

The pile exploded, and stray rocks bombarded Slateman's chest and legs. "I'm not nearly finished yet," said Echo.

"Move!" Blues sliced through the maze and shoved Slateman out of the way. "Sonic Boom!"

"Mach Burst!" The opposing waves stood still and canceled each other out. "You stole my attack, you know."

"It was mine first," said Blues. "You!" Slateman flinched. "Get out of here!"

"We can take her!"

"It's not a request! Enzan-sama!"

"Battle Chip: Mini-bomb, slot-in!"

A pyramid of Mini-bombs appeared at Slateman's feet.

"Jump," Blues said.

"What?"

"JUMP!"

He jumped; at least, he jumped as much as his rock body would let him, and the Mini-bombs did the rest of the work. The blast propelled Slateman over the maze wall and into the street.

"Clever," Echo said. "Did you plan that?"

"We planned _this_. Elemental Sword!" The searing red blade, infused with the power of the four elements, clashed against its twin, for Echo duplicated the sword and took it as her own. Parry led to riposte, and riposte met counter-riposte. Dual swords clashed and clanged, and edge slid against edge as both Blues and Echo muscled their swords against one another.

"You're good," Blues said. He backed off, but his tip stayed high.

"I learn from the best."

"Do you learn from him, too?"

To her right, Rockman tiptoed on the top edge of the maze wall. And over his shoulder, the barrel of a sniper rifle gleamed in the digital sun.

"Hyper Burst!" "Mugen Vulcan!"

The solid blue beam of the Hyper Burst merged with the yellow spray of the Mugen Vulcan. Searchman's tiny bolts rode the wake of Rockman's attack; they accelerated down this pre-cleared channel, on a beeline for Echo.

But Echo's hands melted and transformed. Gone was the Elemental Sword she copied from Blues. On her right, a hub of spokes surrounded a single black barrel; on her left, a rotating quad-barrel spun up to firing speed.

"You've run out of hands, Echo!" Blues cried, charging with Elemental Sword.

"I don't need a hand for this." Dozens of vines sprouted from the ground; they pulled on his limbs, dragged him to his knees, and though he waved his sword at the greenery, the perfect angle to cut himself free eluded him. He was a captive audience as Echo countered the two program advances with her own. The shockwaves leveled the maze, and the three combatants shielded themselves from the blinding light.

The street was empty. No bystanders, no Slateman, and no Echo.

—

"Come on! We have to keep…moving!"

Roll yanked and tugged on Slateman's arm, but he wouldn't budge. There they were, within the circle of pillars and under the great ring that sat atop them. A set of stones set off a short spire, from which water flowed in a thin dome.

This was the park. Oh, so many memories in this park. Aquaman flooded it crying for Rockman. Gutsman carried Bubbleman and Trill—ickle baby Trill, who bawled his eyes out, who didn't even have a name then—here, to this park, where Roll and the others skated on an improvised ice rink.

And now they would obliterate it. They would obliterate it because _she_ was coming. _She_ was the harbinger of the apocalypse—nay, the harbinger of death, of death and only death. _She_ would murder this hulk of rock, and it was Roll's task to protect him.

Just how she was supposed to protect a navi who could pick her up and throw her like a toothpick, who could crush her under his own weight, she did not understand, but if he wanted to stay for now, he could. After all, _she_ was coming.

She approached from a distance, in stops and spurts, for she brought with her three companions. As globes of energy and glowing swords flickered and flared, the sounds of battle—the boom of an explosion, the clanking of blades—reached Roll's ears well after the sights. A strange effect, one she was unaccustomed to. Most battles were never this…big.

But the battle wore on. Echo defended herself well; she countered every assault. She darted and evaded, but she always plowed forward, toward Slateman.

_We shouldn't even be here. We wouldn't be here if Rockman—_

He fired buster bolts, then machine gun rounds, at Echo, but they crashed and splattered on a hemispheric Barrier.

_No! No, it's not Rockman's fault; it's not._

But he let her go, didn't he? She'd knelt before them, dazed and wounded. Water had cut and gashed at her clothes, her body. Data particles gushed forth in a heavy stream.

_One more hit, and she would've been deleted, gone forever! And he let her go! He let her go…_

He was Rockman, wasn't he? If he had a flaw, it was excessive mercy, that overwhelming tendency to offer the Bad Guy that one last chance for redemption, but they always refuse, for one reason or another. They won't get their world domination if they surrender, after all. They always refuse. Echo refused.

_I should've shot her. I could've shot her right there._

Could she? Could she really defy Rockman? Though his unwavering (perhaps even _blind_) faith in the goodness of other navis often made life difficult for them, it was also one of his best qualities. Not that he had many _bad_ qualities. Not that he had _any_ bad qualities.

Rockman ate the business end of a Mach Burst. Roll's stomach knotted.

_Just like that night._

That night was for a different reason. It wasn't for fear of Rockman's safety like it was now; it was something else. Something more subtle, more insidious.

"_Did you talk to her, Rockman?"_

"_A little."_

"_What did she say?"_

"_I'm not sure I understand it all."_

But he must've understood it, he must have! Why else would he break off the attack? Why else would he restrain Tomahawkman just as could deliver the killing blow?

_What does it mean?_

Crash, boom! Boom, boom. The delay between sight and sound was less now. Echo was getting closer, and she left behind her the path of destruction.

"Come on, Slateman," Roll said. "We can't be here when they set off the trap."

—

"Sonic Boom!" "Scope Gun!"

"Hedged Bets!"

As the shot and the wave ripped and tore at the blocking roulette wheels, Rockman left the battle behind him. He crossed the line of pillars as Roll and Slateman left it. He met her gaze, and they nodded together. Slateman would be safe. It was time to worry about everyone else.

A handful of navis poked their heads outside to watch the spectacle.

"Plug-out!" Rockman yelled. "Hurry!"

They heeded his warning and vanished, but how many others were in the surrounding buildings?

How many others were in danger because he let her escape?

"Everyone! Plug-out! Hurry!" He dashed up the stairwell and shouted to all who would hear him. Not all took the message to heart, but he could spare no time for them. Some demanded to know why. Others refused outright without further explanation. "The Triple Satellite Cannon will destroy everything in this park!" he would say. "Hurry! Plug-out before you're deleted!" He had time for no more than this; there was always another floor, another building to evacuate, and after every flight of stairs, he checked the window to see Blues and Searchman falling back—closer and closer to the park, with less and less room to retreat to.

"How many more, Rockman?" Netto said.

"Two more buildings," said the navi, leaving the ground floor of another skyscraper. "Where is—"

A white navi loomed over him. "Where is what, Rockman?"

"Echo!" Rockman yelped. He composed himself, but those steely red eyes intimidated him, all the same. "Echo, give up. Surrender before we have to delete you."

"You saw fit to fire on me without making the offer?"

"We will delete you if you have to. You told me you hoped we'd stop you. You can stop yourself!"

"Rockman!" Blues harassed Echo with a Sonic Boom. "Rockman, run! The satellites are in position!"

"Our destinies are set, Rockman," Echo said. "_You_ must stop me…if you can."

"Battle Chip: Area Steal, slot-in!"

"But Netto-kun—"

"There's no more time!"

So Rockman ran. He sprinted for the pillars; they were the perimeter. When he crossed the line, a purple wall of light rose from below, surrounding the park in a cylindrical shell. And Echo banged her fist on the barrier to no avail.

Then she craned her neck upward; three satellites flew overhead. They bore parabolic dishes with a metal rod through each focus. The tips of the rods glowed from red to yellow to white to blue. Many eyes fixed on these faint points in the sky—those of Rockman and Roll, Blues and Searchman. Those of Echo, their target, and of scores of navis in the buildings around, who leaned out their windows to witness the weapons' power first-hand.

And Rockman saw them: he saw their lives, curious and intrigued. And he saw their deaths, immersed in fire.

But not Echo's. No, unlike the navis who camped on front-row seats to the power of the Triple Satellite Cannon, she had the good sense to plug-out.

_And now more will die; I've let her go again._

**2**

Yukawa Saburou, Slateman's operator, slammed his fist into the console. "You mean to tell me you morons didn't think she would plug-out?"

Enzan and Laika glared. "A direct hit would have been more than sufficient to delete her," Enzan said. "There was always a risk that she would anticipate the attack and plug-out."

"It was a risk worth taking," Laika said.

"Your triple program advance nonsense didn't even work."

"We've gotten used to that," Netto said.

"I hope you have some better ideas," Yukawa said. "There's no point in having my Slateman be your bait if your traps don't work."

"The next trap will work!" Netto said. "There's no way she'll get out of this one."

"Actually, I'm concerned," Enzan said, leaning into the monitor. "I'm not sure the space for the pitfall is small enough to prevent a plug-out."

"We could lower the shield," Meiru said. "A smaller space—"

"Everyone, your attention please." Kifune rose from his seat with a notepad in hand. "I've just been told that Echo's been spotted in another section of Internet City. She's on her way back to the park."

"She doesn't give up, does she," said Netto. "All the better! We'll get her this time."

"I fear that Enzan-kun was right about the pitfall, though," Kifune said. "To that end, I want the five of you to take your navis to the city's central controls. There, you will disable the plug-out controls, and Echo will be unable to leave the city."

"That's crazy!" Meiru said. "If we can't plug-out, our navis can be deleted easily!"

"There's a much greater risk of serious data damage," Enzan said. "It's dangerous."

"We came here to defeat Echo," Laika said, "whatever the risks. Searchman and I are ready."

"Us too!" Netto said. "We'll survive this; I'm sure of it."

"We're issuing a general evacuation notice," Kifune said. "In the meantime, get to those controls."

—

The five navis materialized outside a digital fortress, an underground bunker, replete with sealed doors and a small security force. Rockman, Searchman, and Blues proudly brandished the emblem of the Net Saviors and Net Agents, and the guards let them pass, except…

"The pink navi will have to stay outside, though," said the chief guard.

Roll fumed. "Hey, wait a minute! I'm just as much a part of this operation as anyone else."

"Nor the pile of rocks over there. That won't do at all."

"Slateman is in our protective custody," Blues said.

"Oh, in that case, he can go."

"What about me?" Roll said.

"Are you in their protective custody?" asked the chief.

"I don't need to be in their 'protective custody'! We're equals!"

"I'm afraid you can't be allowed in, onee-san."

"She's helping us," Rockman said. "Can't you let her in for that?"

"My orders are very clear."

"Searchman," Laika said, "go inside; find the control panel."

The steel sniper nodded. "_Ryoukai_."

"Blues," Enzan said, "go with him. Take Slateman with you."

"_Hai,_ Enzan-sama."

The trio of navis ventured into the bunker, and Roll ran after them, but the guards restrained her. "Let me go!" she cried. "I'm _helping_!"

—

_You'd be helping more if you'd actually fought me today._

Imi, clad in the armor and colors of the guard, watched from a distance as Rockman and Roll begged the security navis to let them through.

_What are they doing?_

"I'm _helping_!" Roll said. "Can't you see that?"

"I can only allow you to pass if you're in custody of a Net Agent."

"Oh." Roll frowned. "Ah! I'm in Rockman's custody."

The chief guard looked at Rockman. "Is this true?"

"Well, it's not—"

Roll yanked on his arm. "Isn't it, Rockman? Isn't it?"

"It is! It is!"

"Very well, you may go," said the chief, and Roll dragged Rockman inside. The guards lined up and stood watch.

_I need to know what you're up to._

'_It's a trap,'_ said Slateman. _'Of course it's a trap, and you won't wiggle out of this one.'_

_I escaped the first one._

'_Rockman practically let you go. He let you go _again_.'_

_That was nice of him, wasn't it?_

'_And this is how you repay him.'_

_As long as you're here, this is how I must repay him._

She rose and approached the line. "Chief!" she said. "Chief, Echo is here!"

"Where did you come from?" said the chief. "You're not one of my men!"

_Just had to be smart, didn't you._ Grove's vines ensnared the guards, and Imi, in the form of Echo, charged the Mugen Vulcan on one hand and a Hyper Burst on the other.

"Help! Somebody help—"

A green, gloved hand choked the police navi. His red shoulder lights blinked and flashed. "No one can help you now," Echo said. "Give up your secrets to me."

—

Roll's elbow dug into Rockman's gut. "_Mou_, Rockman, you're slow!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't think they would hold you up like that."

"Well, it's all right. I'm in your custody now."

"Just to get past the guards."

"No, I'm in your custody."

Rockman blinked. "I don't understand."

She huffed. "I guess you don't." Honestly! After all the time they spent together, he could at least take the hint, but no, oh no, he was always off in his own world, in the realm of Oblivious Land. Must be awfully convenient for him, to not have to think—

"Roll-chan."

Rockman halted outside a bolted double-door. He didn't look at her; rather, his gaze lay somewhere between dead ahead and straight down, like they'd stumbled upon the corpse of an animal.

"What is it?"

"Did you see them?"

"See who?"

"They were still in the buildings."

"I didn't see them. I was with Slateman, far away, remember?"

"They wouldn't have died if I'd stopped her."

So that's what this was about. "We tried our best," Roll said.

A pause. Rockman's eyes still fell short of the door. What did he see? The three beams that converged on the park? How the towers evaporated in fire and toppled to the ground?

Would their deaths be any more justified if Echo hadn't plugged out? If she had perished with the rest?

She eyed his hand; his fingers dangled, limp and curved. So lonely, so far away.

But not any longer.

"Rockman."

She grasped his fingers in her own. At last, his gaze broke, and their eyes met—his wide with surprise, hers open and sure.

"It's all right, Rockman." She clasped his hand between her own.

"Thank you, Roll-chan." He smiled, and she smiled with him. "Are you ready?"

"Let's go."

With his free hand, Rockman tugged on the creaky door, and inside, Blues, Searchman, and Slateman looked back at them.

"We have a problem," Blues said.

"What problem?" asked Rockman.

"These red dots represent navis still in the city," Searchman said, typing at the controls.

"So many!" Roll said. "It's like a cloud over the city."

Indeed, a thick fog of scarlet polluted the map. Hundreds, if not thousands, of navis still populated the city.

"It's fading," Rockman said. "People are leaving."

Enzan popped up in a window beside Blues. "Not fast enough," he said. "At this rate, it could take upwards of an hour to clear the city."

"Can't we boot everyone from the network?" Netto said.

"That would boot _everyone_," Kifune said. "Including Echo and our navis."

"What's going on?" The chief guard squeezed around Rockman and Roll and peered over Slateman at the screen. "Have you cut the plug-out controls yet?"

"Not yet," Rockman said. "We want to give it more time."

"We can't afford to wait very long," Laika said. "Every minute lost is a minute Echo can use to regroup or attack."

A narrow edge of tempered steel swung from above! Blues lunged and defended Slateman with his own blade. Echo's Samurai Sword splintered on impact.

"The chief was Echo!" Rockman said.

"Mach—"

"Spike Tower!" Slateman punched the floor, and pointed stone columns erupted in a straight line. They thrust through Echo and flung her into the ceiling. "You're not deleting me today!" Slateman said.

"We'll see." A geyser surrounded her, and a shockwave cut through the wall of water. The wave sucked in the rest of the geyser behind it and slammed the five navis with the full force of a crashing breaker. As the deluge swept them off their feet, Echo fled through the double doors, back into the bunker.

"After her!" Blues said.

"She's not getting away this time!" Slateman jammed the buttons on the control panel. "Now, Landslide!" The torrent of rocks crushed the console; the cloud of red on the city map fizzled out.

Roll gulped. _But they won't be going anywhere._

**3**

"What's the big idea?" said Netto. "There are hundreds of navis still in Internet City! You trapped them all!"

"Unlike you, I won't let Echo get away a second time," Yukawa said.

"We're working _together_," Meiru said. "You can't just do that all by yourself!"

"I think I just did."

"If Roll gets hurt because of what you did—"

"You'll what? Paint my face in magic marker?"

"Why you—"

"Easy, Meiru-chan! Calm down!" Meiru jerked and struggled in Netto's grip; her nails clawed at Yukawa, but they sank into air.

Enzan addressed Yukawa. "Do that again, and Blues will not be there to save you."

"Do that again," Laika said, "and Searchman will delete you himself."

"Big words from such small children," Yukawa said.

Meiru lurched against Netto's arm. "I think we should've asked Egami-san—ow!" Her squirming landed an elbow to his ribs. "Meiru-chan!"

"Netto-kun! Trouble!"

"What is it, Rockman?"

Rockman, Roll, Searchman, Blues, and Slateman faced a platoon of police navis: blue boots, white shinguards, white gloves and bracers, and red shoulder lights. The navis were police cars personified, and they were every bit as dangerous, too, for…

"One of these guards must be Echo," Rockman said.

"But they all look the same," Roll said. "How can we tell them apart?"

Searchman lined up the sight on his Scope Gun.

"Searchman, wait!"

TCH-CHEW! Police navi —852, front row and fifth from the left, teetered and toppled over, having suffered sudden amputation of his right leg.

"Echo won't allow herself to be shot," Laika said. "It would be too much of a tactical sacrifice."

TCH-CHEW! TCH-CHEW! TCH-CHEW! One-legged police navis thumped on the floor, and Roll rushed to their aid.

"Don't, Roll-chan! Don't touch them!"

Her fingers hovered inches from a wounded navi. Bleeding data particles brushed the back of her hand and vaporized.

"She won't kill you if you haven't touched her," Rockman said. "That's what she told me."

"Unless I need to touch you." In the midst of rank and file stood Echo. The police navis wielded their batons, but a Mach Burst to the ground toppled them like dominos.

Searchman aligned his crosshairs…

"Oh no you don't." Vines yanked the Scope Gun off its mark, tilting the barrel toward the peg-legged police navis, and the force of having his gun yanked from him pressed Searchman's finger into the trigger.

They didn't yell or cry. They scattered; they scattered like the shards of a mirror, tossed out a window and shattering on the sidewalk.

"Now it's my turn." A duplicate Scope Gun, a carbon copy of Searchman's own, materialized in her hands. TCH-CHEW! TCH-CHEW, TCH-CHEW! The five scampered out the room as Echo's shots punched holes in the walls. Well, four did. Rockman and Searchman dragged Slateman out.

"We should stay and fight!" Slateman said.

"Don't be stupid," Blues said. "You can barely fit through this tunnel, let alone fight in it."

"We'll lead her to the pitfall trap like we planned," Rockman said. "Hurry!"

CRASH! A mountain of rock and dirt split the group in half.

"Roll-chan! Blues!"

"Rockman!" Roll dug at the rubble of the cave-in. Blues slashed at rock as Rockman and Searchman blasted the debris.

"Don't forget me." Mazeman's pin maneuver, Dead End, wrapped around Blues and stuck him against the tunnel wall.

"Roll Whip!"

Roll's antenna slapped a Barrier, nothing more. "Do you really want to touch me?" Echo said. She approached, and Roll had nowhere to go. Roll backpedaled into the cave-in and ran out of room. A perfectly pink bow and arrow engulfed her arm. She pulled the string back and shot, but the heart-shaped tip disintegrated on impact.

"Where are they going?" Echo said. "What's the next trap?"

"I won't tell you!" She pressed two fingers to her lips, and a heart formed between them. She flung the heart at Echo, and it split into dozens of identical projectiles.

But Echo crossed her arms in an X-shape and braced for the blows, absorbing the force of each blast.

"Don't make me touch you," Echo said. "I'll do it. I'll take the secret from your mind, and then I will kill you."

These were the times Roll dreamt about, when a powerful villain threatened her or her friends with peril to life or limb. These were the times that, as a hero, Roll would face the enemy down with chin high and proclaim defiantly, "I won't give up! I won't give in!"

And Rockman would feel so proud of her; Rockman would be honored to have her by his side, not only in battle but for all time.

But neither of those dreams reflected reality; at least, not the reality of this day.

Roll cowered against the jagged rubble of the cave-in. "I won't tell you!" she said. "I won't!"

At least her mouth could be brave, even if the rest of her body could not.

"I'm not afraid," Echo said. "I'm not afraid to touch you; I'm not afraid to add you to the chorus of my mind. I'm not afraid to delete you here and now."

_Why should she be afraid?_

Echo's shiny, silken hand inched toward her, fingers straight and outstretched, but they wobbled and wavered. The closer they came, the more they quivered, yet still Echo persisted. One touch, was it? One touch to brand her, to brand her with the mark of death?

And then they curled.

Echo's fingers curled into a ball, and she held her hands together. She leaned back against the tunnel wall.

"I _am_ afraid," she said. "I _am_ afraid after all."

Roll rose to her feet. "Why?" she asked. "Why would you spare me?"

"You are far too kind," Echo said. "Far too kind for such a fate as death by my hand."

"What about me?"

Slip, slash! Sword in one hand, Wide Sword in the other, Blues cut through his bonds and swiped at Echo, who met him in kind with swords of her own. The concrete tunnel rattled with each missed swing; the pair sliced and scored the walls as evidence of their duel.

_She spared me. Why did she spare me? How does she know me?_

"Roll!"

_Who is that?_

"Roll, get in the fight! Blues needs you!"

"Meiru-chan?"

"Battle Chip: Cannon, triple slot-in!"

Both her hands melded into the blue, rectangular box, the base of the Giga Cannon. "Blues, get away!"

He ducked a sideways cut and slashed at Echo—a miss, but enough to force her between him and Roll's cannon.

Yellow light and flame collected at the tip.

"I'm smarter than that," Echo said. Her swords vanished, and a Giga Cannon appeared between her hands.

"Are you?" Blues raised his arms over his head. His Sword and Wide Sword coalesced and merged into a single, brilliant blade. "Dream Sword!"

"Giga Cannon!"

Echo forfeited her cannon, choosing to meet sword with sword instead, but as she matched the Dream Sword shockwave with her own, Roll's Giga Cannon hit its mark.

Roll looked though Echo's chest and saw Blues on the other side.

"She's not done yet," Blues said, and he thrust the Dream Sword into the breach.

But the glow of data particles subsided. The wound shrunk and closed over the Dream Sword. Energy rippled from Echo's hands, and Blues and his sword careened into the wall.

Echo was far from unscathed, however. She wobbled on her feet and groaned, holding her chest.

"Roll Arrow!"

The arrow pelted Echo in the back, and she swiveled to face Roll, but Blues shook off the stun of being thrown into the wall.

_She doesn't show it, but she's hurt. Does she think she can face us both here?_

Pillars of rock breached the ceiling, and light from above poured into the tunnel. Echo hopped out, and a cascade of stones filled the hole she left behind.

"Roll-chan! Blues!"

A Charge Shot destroyed the cave-in that separated the group, and Rockman, Searchman, and Slateman stumbled upon the carnage of the battle.

"Where is Echo?" asked Rockman.

"She's gone," said Roll. "Up there somewhere."

—

"Gah!" Echo—Imi—lay prone atop a skyscraper. She prodded her chest wound, and her fingers dipped into the data, into her body, like it was pudding.

'_You shouldn't touch it,'_ Grove said. _'The more you damage it, the longer it will take to heal.'_

'_Oh, let her carry on,'_ Rouletteman said. _'You're not rooting for her, are you?'_

'_She's weak,'_ Slateman said. _'She couldn't touch the hearty navi. She was afraid.'_

"I'm not what you think of me," Echo said.

'_You're a murderer.'_

'_You're a killer.'_

'_You're a monstrosity to human and navi alike.'_

"I'm not."

'_What did you see in their eyes?'_ Grove said. _'Do you see understanding? Do you see compassion? No, you see fear. You see fear and hate. Look at the trap they set for you. They were willing to kill not only you but all the navis left there in that park. They want you dead.'_

'_It's only the natural order of things,' _Rouletteman said. _'You are an abomination to them. Even if they understood you, do you think they would stop? They won't. You should've touched her, you know. Then you would see that they aren't the holy beacons of light you imagined.'_

'_They are buffoons,' _Slateman said. _'They've bumbled their way through chasing you. They aren't smart. They aren't better than other navis. They aren't better than _us_. They are no different from us. Just as you hunt us, they will hunt you.'_

Echo shook her head, though the torque caused a twinge in her chest. "When I'm done with you," she said, "when I've killed you all, and you're all silent, they won't have to hunt me. Then it will be over."

'_DO YOU THINK WE WILL GO QUIETLY? DO YOU THINK WE WILL BE SILENT WHEN YOU KILL US?'_

"Do you hear Mazeman? Do you hear Cardman or Sonicman?"

No response.

"You will be silent," Echo said, "because once the real you is gone, there is nothing more you can accomplish."

She staggered to her feet and gazed across the city. Sure enough, she found her prey: the five navis spread out across a major thoroughfare. They waited for her.

"And I'm coming."

—

"This is stupid," said Slateman. "We should be looking for her; not waiting for her to come to us."

"He's right," said Blues. "She's wounded. She may not come to us."

"She'll come," said Rockman. "She wants Slateman more than anything."

Echo glided to the ground, aided by a pair of Air Shoes.

"Echo!" Blues yelled. "You're hurt; you can't stand up to us now. Give up!"

A space-warping Mach Burst rippled toward them; the five ducked and bolted out of the way. They assaulted her with projectiles, but she raised a maze from the ground to shield herself from their attacks. Meteors rained from the sky, and rockslides poured from the alleys to break the maze, but amidst the deluge of flame and earth, Echo emerged under a glowing dome Barrier, Scope Gun in hand.

TCH-CHEW! The bolt ate a chunk of Slateman's shoulder.

"Battle Chip: Dream Aura, slot-in!"

TCH-CHEW! The shot dissipated on impact, and Slateman pumped his fists. "Come on, Echo! Try harder!"

Echo chucked her Scope Gun to the ground; she charged forward, and a Sword and Wide Sword enveloped her hands.

"Wait for it," Rockman said.

She pointed the swords overhead, and they blended together…

"Wait for it!"

The Dream Sword formed and focused into a single blade…

"Now!"

Echo grasped the handle and swung the Dream Sword with an overhead chop, but the ground beneath her gave way. The delta-shaped energy blast chewed through the pavement; a line of upturned rubble ran down the street. And as for Echo, she sat in a square pit with a purple energy shield for a ceiling.

The five navis surrounded the pit and leaned over the side to gawk at the prisoner. Echo's hands molded into a Giga Cannon, but the fiery beam reflected off the energy barrier and blasted the ground beside her.

"It's a one-way shield, Echo," Slateman said, nursing his eroded shoulder, "which means I can do this!" He lobbed jagged spikes into the pit, which pluged into the dirt around her. Though she dodged and weaved around the shower of needles, one well-placed volley pinned her in the corner.

"If you must kill me," Echo said, "then let Rockman be the one to do it!"

"Me?" Rockman said.

"I would respect no one else."

"Why me?"

"Because unlike Slateman, you won't take any pleasure from it."

"No!" Slateman cried. "It's a trick!" He hurled another spike in Echo's direction, but she shot it as soon as it crossed the barrier.

"Let Rockman do it! I won't resist."

Rockman dropped to one knee, and his buster appeared on his arm. "I'll do it."

Echo nodded.

Rays of fuchsia and pink streamed from the mouth of the buster. "I should never have let you go."

"No, you shouldn't have."

"Goodbye, Echo."

She smirked. "Not goodbye."

"Charge Shot!"

The beam passed through the one-way barrier on a steady course for Echo, but she raised her arm, and another barrier appeared above her. The Charge Shot ricocheted off the lower barrier and pinballed between the two shields. PING PING PING PING PING PING BOOM! Both shields fell, Echo leapt from the pitfall trap, and the battle began anew.

"Slateman!" Rockman cried. "Slateman, run!"

"I won't run from her!"

"You're injured," Searchman said.

"So is she!"

"This is getting too dangerous," Enzan said. "We have to find a way to plug-out again."

"There is one way." The five operators looked at Kifune. "A backup control center."

"We'll go," Meiru said. "Roll!"

"Got it!" The pink navi broke from the group, with her operator guiding her.

"We can still defeat Echo!" said Netto. "The three of us can—"

"Not at the cost of Slateman's life," Enzan said. "Enough have died today."

"I won't plug-out," Yukawa said. "Either Echo falls, or Slateman will. I won't settle for a draw!"

"In the military, we're taught that a draw is better than defeat," Laika said. "As an operator, a _commander_, you should realize when pushing forward is too much of a risk!"

"I will not sit here and be lectured by children! Battle Chip: Gold Fist, slot-in! Slateman, finish her!"

"Double Mineral Fists!" With fists of gold and quartz, Slateman dove at Echo, but his hooks flew over her, and she sidestepped his uppercuts. Finally, he wound up for an overhead smash, but the Gold Fist ran afoul of the violet hue that surrounded her.

"This Dream Aura is very useful," Echo said. She eyed Slateman's fists. "So are those." Echo's Gold Fist plowed into Slateman's chest. Stress fractures emanated from the impact site, and Slateman skidded across the street.

"That's it!" Netto said. "I've had it with this Echo!"

Enzan flinched. "Netto! What are you going to do?"

"Juuka Chip: Falzer, slot-in!"

"No! Netto, you idiot!"

A column of purple flame enveloped Rockman. His boots molded into teal razor-sharp talons, and a pair of vermillion wings sprang from his shoulders. An angled, golden beak formed the brim of his helmet, and on his forehead sat the symbol of bird, a bird with outstretched wings—the symbol of Falzer, the avian cyber-beast.

This was Rockman's just reward for ending a great war: the ability to borrow the fighting form of their gods and wield their power against all evil.

But now it wasn't just his to borrow.

"I'm disappointed, Rockman," Echo said. Her features morphed and blurred, and soon their mirrored Rockman's own. "You would choose to share such power with me?"

**4**

"I'm sorry, miss, but you can't—"

"I'm in the custody of a Net Agent, okay?"

"Where is this—hey!"

Roll blazed past the guards at the backup control center and shut herself inside the control room, despite a few dozen batons that banged on the door. Her antennae sank into the panel, and data flowed across them.

"Roll's ready," Meiru said. "When should we restore the plug-out controls?"

"Not yet!" Netto said. "Go, Rockman!"

"Feather Shoot!" Rockman and Echo soared in the air, a dogfight to the death. Rockman's arm converted into an angled slot, and rocket-propelled feather-missiles hurtled toward Echo, but her breath of fire incinerated the warheads mid-flight.

"I won't let you go again," he said. "I won't!"

"Then don't!"

Rockman pursued Echo between the skyscrapers, blasting her with fire and feathers as he flew into range. She rolled and dove, and when the gap between them closed, she hacked at him with Elemental Swords. Rockman clawed and kicked at her, but she dodged and punished every miss with a Hyper Burst, a Giga Cannon, or God knows what else.

CRASH! Rockman plummeted to the ground and stuck in the pavement.

"Rockman!" Blues cried. "Are you all right?"

"Are you?" Echo launched a Feather Shoot at point-blank range. The salvo struck Blues in the back and knocked him into the crater with Rockman.

TCH-CHEW! TCH-CHEW! Searchman's Scope Gun shots splattered on Echo's feathers. She sped toward him and thrashed him between her wings.

"No fun for me?" A boulder smashed on Echo's back. Slateman tossed another in his hands. "Come on!"

Echo punted Searchman, and black claws grew from her fingers. "On you I can use these!" She slashed at him, kneed him in the gut, and punched him into a building.

"Echo!"

Once again, the pillar of violet flame reached from the sky and surrounded Rockman. This time, his wings vanished, his talons sharpened into blade-like claws, a tail sprouted from his back, and five yellow spikes erupted from his skull, forming a crown, and in the center of that crown, a star appeared—the symbol of Greiga, the wolf beast.

Rockman swiped at the air, and two arced waves of energy slammed into Echo. Rockman bombarded her with a salvo of these projectiles, and Echo bore the impact of each hit. Her chest softened and melted.

"There!" Netto said. "That's where Roll hit her before! Hit her there!"

Rockman scrambled on all fours to charge her. Echo raised a Barrier, and Rockman pushed against the force of the shield.

"Come on! You can break it!"

Punch! The Barrier shatters!

But there was a faint hum. The hum of…charging. "Does this look familiar?" Hyper Burst and Mugen Vulcan broadsided Rockman; he hit the dirt.

"Rockman?" Netto wailed. "Rockman!"

—

"Rockman? Rockman!"

Roll's antennae quivered. "Rockman…"

"Ah, agh!" His cries rang out from Netto's PET. When they reached Meiru's, they were faint, but that just made it worse: it forced Roll to strain to hear them, to strain to hear his suffering.

_I can't take this._ "Meiru-chan!"

"What is it, Roll?"

"Is…is there something you can do? Something I can do?"

Meiru nodded. "Roll's at the control panel; we can restore the plug-out controls."

"I'm not plugging out!" Yukawa said. "It's either us or Echo. Don't let her escape!"

The redhead growled at the quarryman off-screen. "Netto!" she said. "Netto, Rockman's taking a beating out there; this is crazy!"

"Rockman, maybe we should—"

"I won't let her go again, Netto-kun! Everywhere she goes she causes destruction. We have to stop her here!"

_Of course he won't give up. He blames himself for this._

Another groan from his PET. "Ugh!"

"Rockman! Hang in there, Rockman!"

"I'm sorry, Roll," Meiru said. "There's nothing we can do."

_Nothing we can do but listen._

"AHAHARG!" Thud.

"Rockman!"

_She's killing him. Echo is killing him right now. She's knocking him senseless…_ "Meiru-chan, please!" she pleaded. "I…I don't want Rockman to…"

"UGH!"

Roll shrank. Rockman's screams froze her armor; it was like she was going to a cold place, without sun, without heat. She shivered.

"They won't listen. None of them, they they're too stubborn to—"

"AGH!"

…_she'll beat him and punch him, cut him and rip him… _"Meiru-chan, do something, please! Meiru-chan!"

"Roll! There isn't anything to do!"

…_and she'll stab him, stab him in the heart._

_In my heart._

"GAH! EEURG!"

"He's dead," Roll said. "Rockman is dead, isn't he?"

Meiru frowned at her navi. "He's not dead."

"He's dead. Rockman is dead!"

"He's not—"

"ROCKMAN IS DEAD! ROCKMAN IS DEAD! ROCKMAN IS DEAD, AND ECHO KILLED HIM! SHE KILLED HIM SHE KILLED HIM SHE KILLED—"

"ROLL!"

Roll collapsed to the floor. She panted and shuddered on every breath.

"UGH!"

A tear splashed on the heart-like emblem on her chest. One tear for each scream.

Each scream told her he was still alive. And that he was about to die.

Meiru squinted at the screen. "Why are you acting this way?"

"Because!" Wasn't there a better reason than that? "Because…what if it were Netto-san out there, and you heard him, you heard him yelling and screaming and being hurt? What would you do, Meiru-chan?"

The redhead's jaw hung open. She stole a glance at Netto and covered her gaping mouth with her hand.

"I'd cry," she said.

"ARGH!"

"Rockman…" Roll mumbled. "Rockman…" Her hand grasped at air. _We held hands. We held hands for one last time, and it mattered to him. It mattered to _us_._

"Roll." Meiru's face hardened. "Roll!"

"What?"

"Turn on the plug-out controls."

"But they said—"

"I know what they said."

The pink navi nodded. "What do you plan to do?"

"Never mind me. Go to Rockman. He'll need you."

Roll smiled. "_Un._" Her antennae retracted; her work with the console was done. She unbarred the control room door, and dashed out of sight.

_I'm coming, Rockman._

—

Netto shook his PET. "Rockman! Are you all right?"

Greiga Rockman dusted himself off, but he was woozy on his feet. Blues and Searchman lay unconscious, and Slateman stumbled with each step. Echo was not much better off; the patched hole in her chest melted to goo, but still she fought, tossing Mach Bursts and Sonic Booms and anything else she could muster.

"You've given me a good battle, Rockman," Echo said. "It's taken…its toll…on both of us."

"It's not over yet, Echo," Rockman said. "I won't let you get away again!"

"Rockman!"

Like iron to a magnet, Roll clung to Rockman's side. "Rockman, you're terribly hurt!"

"I'll be okay," he said. "It's just—agh!" His footing slipped; he landed on his knee. A splash of blue particles sprayed into the air.

"It seems you're the only one mostly unscathed today," Echo said.

Roll rose. "Echo! Leave here! You can plug-out now!"

The operators gasped. "What?" Yukawa cried. "When did that happen?"

"We made it happen," Meiru said, "because you were too stubborn to plug-out yourself."

"She'll just escape again!" Yukawa said. "Slateman, attack!"

Pillars of stone speared Echo. Though she cradled a fresh gash on her leg, she persisted. "You've expended too much energy," Echo said, charging one last Hyper Burst. "Now let me be rid of you!"

"Slateman, run!"

The rock navi fell to both knees. Chipped, cracked, and broken, he faceplanted.

"Rockman, finish her!" Yukawa said. "Finish her!"

Rockman struggled to his feet, but he sagged against Roll, who supported his weight.

"Plug-out!" Meiru said. "Do it before she deletes him!"

He pointed his PET at Meiru. "Why don't you and your navi help me? Huh? Do you want her to get away again? Help me!"

PEW! The light blue beam of the Hyper Burst barreled toward Slateman.

"This is my help!" Meiru snatched the PET from his hands and jammed the central button.

KA-BOOM!

Smoke rose from the crater. Slateman opened his eyes…

…in the safe and friendly confines of his PET.

"Not so fast, Echo!" Roll yelled. As Rockman slumped to the ground, Roll readied a Roll Arrow.

"I'll see you next time." The arrow struck air; Echo plugged out.

"Agh!" Roll waved her fist at Echo. "We'll get you next time, that's what!" Then she noticed a blue navi prone on the street. "Rockman!"

He coughed and blinked weakly. "Why, Roll-chan? Why did you let her go?"

"Why did you?"

"I thought we could save her."

Roll smiled. "And I _knew_ I could save you."

Rockman sat up, grunting and groaning. "Don't try to—" But he paid her no heed. He stood up and surveyed the carnage: ruined towers, mangled streets, and injured navis. Dead navis. Too many to count; many would never be known.

"I let her go," Rockman said, "and this happened. Now you let her go, and who knows what will happen."


	6. The Cage

**Chapter Five: The Cage**

On the streets of Densan Town, a lone sedan chugged through the night. Three faces glowed in faint green light—the reflections of tiny screens.

The driver, clean and proper, tugged on her salmon-colored business dress with one hand.

Behind her, a young girl crossed her legs, clad in black knee-length stockings and a pink skirt, a blue vest with a mossy long-sleeve shirt underneath. She gazed out the window, where passing lampposts cast shadows into the cabin.

To their left, a boy sat. The yellow stripe on his black shorts faded in the darkness, and he crossed his white sleeves over an orange vest. He leaned against the back right support post, as if the back seat weren't comfortable enough, but he found no rest there.

The boy and the girl carried with them two wonderful machines. Within these miracle boxes resided their closest friends: simple collections of ones and zeroes, programmed and analyzed from input to execution—they too were boy and girl.

A girl, the goddess of pink, with two curved antennae wrapped around her helmet and green bow anchored the end of a long, broad ponytail. She laid her chin on her knees and rocked from side to side.

A boy, the lord of blue: golden epaulets adorned his shoulders. He sat beside her, an inch apart, yet a river of questions divided them.

And in that river swam another, a child in a white skirt and blouse and conical hat. Thin rings of jade lined the ends of her elbow-length gloves and the rims of her knee-high boots. Her fern-colored hair dangled over the floor in two arched halves, and her rosy eyes wandered the scene—from her two navi companions to the murky sedan cabin.

They all knew the fate that awaited them. Why else would they be silent?

The car pulled up to a wide, square building with an arced roof. Two men shone in the headlights, with brimmed caps, brassy badges, and silver handles tucked in their holsters. The boy and the girl, in orange and blue, hopped out of the car and approached them, each receiving a rectangular piece of copper and plastic with two cut corners. They slid these objects into their wonder machines, to no apparent effect, but the consequences were surely real. They stepped inside the spacious structure, bathed in brilliant light, but the shadows of three others nipped at their feet.

The door slammed; the lights dimmed. From then until someday, this would be their home.

This would be their cage.

**1**

"This is ridiculous!"

Ikeda Kousuke plucked a wad of udon noodles between his chopsticks and eyed them over the rims of his glasses. "Ridiculous!" he said. "They expect me to eat curry udon from some second-rate curry shop?"

The five operators sat in a circle, each hunkered over their own bowls of noodles and spice.

"We did get it for half price," Netto said.

Egami Aya sipped the broth. "How did you manage that?"

"Well, you see, the people who run the shop—"

"Netto, if you tell anyone, we won't get half off anymore," Meiru said.

"Eheheh, that's true."

"Not a big tragedy." Yukawa Saburou dropped his chopsticks in the bowl and made for the exit.

"What are you going to do?" asked Ikeda. "Headbutt the door down?"

Yukawa snarled. "Mind your own business, you twig-in-a-suit."

"I'd rather be a twig in a suit than a boulder in a—"

BANG! BANG BANG BANG! Yukawa pounded on the door; udon noodles jittered in the curry broth.

"_Oi!_ I need something, open up!"

The guard called through the steel door. "What do you need?"

"I need you to let me out of here!"

"Can't do that, sorry."

"Hmph." He kicked the door one last time for good measure…and winced. He limped back to his bowl of udon and twirled the chopsticks. "So whose bright idea was this?"

"Enzan's," Netto said. "He thought if we cut ourselves off from the rest of the net, Echo wouldn't be able to find us."

"Enzan-kun sounds very bright," Egami said.

"Oh, terribly bright," Ikeda said. "Stick us in a warehouse in the middle of nowhere." He yanked a mass of army green fibers and mesh to his side. "They call these sleeping bags? I call them insomnia bags."

Egami shrugged. "It's just like camping, and if it protects our navis from Echo—"

"You're dreaming if you think we're safe here," Yukawa said. "Echo is crafty; she'll find a way, and no doubt Net Savior over there will give her a free ticket back to safety after she deletes one of our navis."

Netto glared. "We _will_ get her this time! I'm sure of it!"

"If she even shows up at all. What do you think the odds are she'll just go to ground and wait for us to get sick of this?"

"This is why you wanted to leave?" Meiru said.

"I'm just saying this whole exercise is _pointless_."

"And downright humiliating," Ikeda said. He shivered. "Isn't it cold in here? I could catch a cold!"

"You won't catch a cold," Meiru said, "though I might start feeling sick."

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all."

"Perhaps it's best if we all get some rest," Egami said. "It's quite late; I'm sure we'll feel better in the morning."

"Don't bet on it," Yukawa said.

Ikeda's ears perked up. "Bet? Did someone say _bet_?"

Yukawa frowned. "Be quiet."

—

Night in the warehouse. The operators slept. They kicked in their sleeping bags and turned on the cement floor. Three PETs lay dormant, their navis locked in two-dimensional hibernation

Rockman also lay frozen in digital slumber, but unlike the others, a white hand dangled his gridded form over the edge of his PET…and wondered what to do with him.

_It would be so easy. He would never bother me again._

Imi cocked her head. She waved her free hand over him, and her fingers sharpened to claws.

_Why did you give me so much power? Were you both so desperate to stop me?_

'_They were fools,'_ Slateman said. _'That's all it is.'_

She shook her head. _"I won't let you get away again." That's what he kept saying. That's why he fought so hard._ She rubbed the circular emblem on her chest: a powder blue square on a red background, with a white diagonal stripe from top right to bottom left.

_It means I am the mirror._

She poked the symbol with her finger, and it compressed under her touch, but it rebounded when she let off the pressure.

_He fought harder than me. We would have killed each other if she…_ Imi slid Rockman's flattened form back into his PET. She returned to Meiru's and pulled Roll out. _…if she hadn't intervened._

Roll slept on her hip, curled on her side. Her fingers were cupped, as if they held on to something.

_Or they yearn for something._ She glanced back at the spiked tufts of brown hair and the blue box that lay beside him. _They yearn for him._ Imi lowered Roll back into her PET and stood alone in the darkness.

But she was never alone. The ghosts of Grove, Rouletteman, and Slateman surrounded her, and beyond them, the chorus of a thousand voices chanted their ominous prayer.

The chorus she could ignore; they were distant, and their individual voices blended together, but the triumvirate incinerated her with their gazes and rent her flesh with their words.

This was the choir hall. The choir hall of Imi's mind.

Grove leveled a vine at her. "You don't understand what you do to them, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're a murderer, a killer."

I know that; don't tell me what I already—

"More than that! Much more than that. You don't just kill navis. You kill their souls."

Imi glanced beyond her three tormentors, at the formless, indistinct sea of the chorus. "You mean them?"

"Not them! You don't understand."

"I'll send you there someday," Imi said. "Don't doubt it."

Rouletteman spun his central wheel. "I think what Grove's trying to say is that you're killing _them_."

"You mean Rockman-san and Roll-san?"

"Don't pretend you respect them," Slateman said.

"I do respect them!"

"You nearly killed her," Grove said.

"And you just thought about killing him," Rouletteman said.

Imi shuffled her shoes. "Just because I respect them doesn't mean I can't kill them."

"You're already killing them," Grove said. "Their spirit, their souls, will wither and die…like yours has."

"What are you saying?"

"Do you think your precious daddy will approve of this?" Slateman said. "Do you think he will welcome you with open arms after all the trouble you've caused, lives you've taken?"

"He'll kick you to the curb like he did the first time," Rouletteman said. "You're a bad gamble."

Imi stomped her foot. "What else am I supposed to do? How else am I supposed to get rid of you?"

"You could ignore them."

The trio of tormentors drifted together, and a fourth speaker, the lone treble in the choir: a prim canary dress flowed around her ankles, and jet black bangs bounced over her eyes.

"You could ignore them," she said. "I know you can."

"I've tried, Masuyo-chan!" Imi said. "I've tried and tried!"

"Try harder."

"Go back to the choir, little girl," Slateman said. "You can't help her."

"Why are you still here?" Masuyo said. "Why do you trouble Imi?"

"She troubles us!" Rouletteman said. "She keeps us here! She copied us."

"That's what she does."

"You're not even real," Slateman said. "You're just a figment of her imagination."

"And you aren't?"

"She touched us," Grove said. "When did she touch you?"

"Never!" said Rouletteman. "You're just a part of her."

Slateman turned to Imi. "You want to be her, don't you?"

"Be quiet."

"Imi…"

"Did she kill people like you delete navis?" Slateman said. "Did she enjoy it like you do?"

"Be quiet!"

"Imi, listen to me, Imi—"

"You stole her soul, too," Grove said.

"Echo, the reaper of souls," Rouletteman said.

"Soon everyone will be here," Slateman said. "Everyone will join the chorus of voices, and we will sing the praises of our hostess."

"Echo!" the choir chanted. "Echo, Echo, Echo!"

"Her name is Imi!" Masuyo said. "Do you hear me? Her name is Imi!"

"She's not the Imi you knew, is she?" Slateman said. "She's just Echo now."

"Echo! Echo! Echo!"

"She's still Imi!" Masuyo said, but Imi melted in the spotlight; she shrank under the weight of the choir as they bombarded her with her other name. "Aren't you still Imi?" asked Masuyo. "Aren't you?"

"Echo, Echo, Echo!"

The white navi pressed her hands to her ears. "I am…"

"ECHO, ECHO, ECHO!"

"I am…"

"Imi-chan?"

Daylight. No, not daylight. Indoor light, the warehouse bright. Sleeping bags rolled up and away.

And Roll's hand an inch from her shoulder.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She scampered away and hid behind the PET.

"Imi-chan! Imi-chan, I'm sorry!"

But Imi's breath escaped her. She panted and choked on air.

_She nearly touched me. If she'd come any closer—_

'_It's a pity she didn't,'_ Slateman said. _'Imi or Echo, you are the reaper of souls. You'd do her a favor if you killed her now; kill her yourself before you destroy everything she is, everything _they_ are.'_

Roll peered over the edge of the PET. "Imi-chan?"

"You shouldn't be sorry, Roll-san," Imi said. "I'm sorry."

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Are you?"

Roll sagged. She slumped on the PET and glanced around at their environment. "I'm okay."

_Are you? Are you really?_ "_Ohayou gozaimasu,_ Roll-san."

"Good morning to you, too, Imi-chan."

**2**

'_How do you plan to kill us and not get caught?'_ Slateman said.

"Round and round she goes! Where she'll stop, nobody knows!"

_That's a good question._

The mammoth roulette wheel heaved and whirled, and a polished steel ball skated about the outer rim.

"Call your spots, ladies and gents!" Rouletteman said.

'_You could attack us directly,' _Grove said. _'Surely _he_ gave you the power to do it.'_

"Black 11!" Roll said.

"Red 5," Rockman said.

_Not with both of them still here. Though I copied his power, we were still close in strength. Too close._

'_I thought you wanted him to stop you.' _"I'm not sure I see the point of this game," Grove said.

_I don't want him to stop trying. _"Black 35," Imi said.

'_Does this look like trying? Bottling us here in this cage? It looks to me like they've given up fighting you.' _"For myself, Black 4," Rouletteman said. "Grove?"

'_You killed their resolve.' _"Red 14, I suppose," Grove said.

_I killed nothing. This is a perfectly sound tactic to keep you safe from me._

"Doesn't Slateman want to play?" asked Roll.

'_We should be glad you're not outside and willing to take hostages to lure us out then, huh?'_ The jagged navi toiled over a wall of data panels.

"Looks like a regular party-pooper to me," Rouletteman said. "His loss. Everyone, please back away to at least three meters."

The navis distanced themselves from the wheel.

_Why do you insist on this game?_

'_What else am I supposed to do while I wait for you to kill me?' _"All right, now let her have it! Hedged Bets!" Rouletteman's miniatures exploded on the wheel base, and the ball jittered on the track.

"Rockbuster!"

"Heart Slash!"

"Roots of the Earth!"

Buster bolts stunned the wheel, and myriad hearts stuck to the frame. Vines punched into the superstructure and yanked on the radial struts. The ball careened across the wheel and settled in…

"Roll Arrow!"

Thunk!

_Hmm, maybe I can use this…_

Dink, dink. Black 11.

'_What do you have in mind?' _"And Roll is the winner!" Rouletteman said.

_You'll see. _"A good shot, Roll-san," Imi said.

Roll cheeks tinged pink. "Thank you, Imi-chan."

"Nice shot, Roll-chan."

The blush evaporated. Roll stiffened. "Thank you, Rockman," she stuttered.

_What was that?_

"A prize for the lady!" Roultteman stuffed Roll's arms with a model roulette wheel.

"_Anou…_it's not going to explode, is it?" asked Roll.

"Do you want it to?"

"No! No, no, not exploding is fine!"

"Good, good. All right, everyone, get ready for the next round!" The tattered, broken wheel vanished, and a sparkly new one took its place.

Imi backed away. "I think I'm going to sit this one out."

"Are you sure, Imi-chan?" asked Roll. "It's fun!"

"You're all much better at controlling the wheel than I am," Imi said. "I can't even attack it."

'_Liar,'_ Slateman said.

"We could play something else," Rockman said. "Maybe—"

"I'd like to watch you play," Imi said. "Really."

'_What are you up to, little girl?'_ Slateman said.

_It's simple. You're going to start a fight._

'_Me?'_

"Next game!" Rouletteman said. "Come on!"

As Rockman and Roll returned to the wheel, Imi set her sights on a lonely hulk of gravel who buried himself in floating data panels.

'_You're dreaming,'_ Slateman said. _'You can't fool me.'_

_I can, and I will. Watch me._

"Hi there," Imi said. "You're Slateman, right?"

Slateman squinted at one of a handful of windows that hovered about him. "I'm busy."

"Doing what?"

"Work for my operator."

"Don't you want to take a break?"

"And what would I do to 'take a break'?"

Imi pointed. "There's a game over there. Rouletteman-san is—"

"I don't like Rouletteman."

"Well, there are others. Grove-san and Rockman-san and Roll—"

"I don't like Rockman."

"Well, if you don't like them so much, you can beat them at the game and show them how much better you are."

Slateman's finger halted over another data panel. "Excuse me?"

"You _are_ better than them, aren't you? I mean, you can prove it, right?"

"Don't get wise with me, kid."

"I'm not being wise. I heard about your battle with Echo."

"Hmph. Some battle."

"And how Rockman-san made the foolish mistake of using the—oh, what do they call it?"

"Beast Out."

"That! That's it. He wouldn't tell me about that himself, you know. He was too ashamed to admit he'd given her so much power."

'_Liar.'_

_Be quiet._

"And he should be. Echo is more dangerous than ever now, and because of that stupid stunt, I'm stuck here…with the likes of you."

_You're every bit as irascible in the real world as you are in my head._ "I think you can beat Rockman-san at the game. I think you can beat them all. It's easy."

"If it's so easy, why don't you do it?"

"I don't have any attacks."

"Well, you're pretty useless, aren't you?"

"I try."

He rolled his eyes. "Get lost."

"Won't you play? Just one game, and I'll stop bugging you."

"I hope that's all it takes to shut you up." He packed away the data windows and marched to the wheel, just as Grove made off with her "prize": another toy roulette game.

Rouletteman spotted the newcomer. "Are you joining us?"

"Yes," Slateman said. "For one game."

_More than one. You like to win too much._

'_I can stop.'_

_You can stop? After all the times you've told me that I can't stop? Neither can you. I'll show you._

"Red 1," Rouletteman said.

"Red 30," Roll said.

"Black 20," Grove said.

"Red 36," Rockman said.

Slateman frowned. "What number should I choose?"

"Try 00," Imi said.

"00," Slateman said.

Rouletteman nodded. "Here we go!" The green, black, and red spaces on the wheel blurred together as the wheel spun to speed. Rockman and Roll sapped its momentum with their shots. The ball jiggled and bounced, and the wheel tugged on Grove's vines as they tore through the support struts.

But Slateman watched. The ball circled the rim slower now; any moment it would drift into a red, black, or…

"Spike Tower!"

The rock pillar speared the wheel, stopping it cold. The jittered against the walls of the green 00 slot.

"Slateman is the winner!" Rouletteman proclaimed.

"That was easy, wasn't it?" Imi said.

"Yes," Slateman said. "Now we're done. I have work to do."

"Can't you do it again?"

"No.

"Going to let everybody win while you do your precious work?"

"Yes."

"I bet you let Echo win, too."

He froze. "What did you say?"

"You heard what I said."

Slateman marched back to her and spread his arms, as if he could crush her between them. But Imi cocked her head and batted her eyes, and Slateman huffed, stepping to the wheel. "Rouletteman! Again!"

Again and again, Rouletteman summoned his circle of fortune, and Slateman skewered it with his Spike Tower attack, trapping the ball in his called slot. As the morning wore on, Grove, Rockman, and Roll lost interest in the game, but Imi stuck to Slateman's side. "Surely you can't win again, can you?" she'd say. "Surely you've had enough!" Rouletteman would cry. But Slateman pressed on. He wouldn't be underestimated by a little girl.

As Slateman added a twelfth toy wheel to his pile, Rouletteman lost his tolerance for this charade. "Enough!" he said. "There's no point in playing if you're going to win every time."

"Isn't that how a casino works?" Slateman said.

_Yes, yes. You're catching on now._

"Even in Kousuke-kun's casino, there's a significant chance to win or lose," Rouletteman said.

"So you're saying you try to rip people off as much as possible?"

"Yes—well, no!"

'_Don't you dare.'_

_Oh I will._

"I mean, win/loss rates are legally—ack!" A torrent of boulders crushed Rouletteman, and spikes erupted from the pile. "What are you doing?" cried Rouletteman. "Are you insane?"

Slateman gaped and turned over his palms. "I'm not doing that!"

"Oh, sure you aren't!" Rouletteman snuck out of the circle of thrusting pillars. "Take this!" A pair of roulette wheels smashed themselves on Slateman's ribs.

"I won't stand for this trickery!" Slateman said. "Nobody attacks me and gets away with it! Not you, not Echo!"

Imi smiled. _I know you better than you know yourself, Slateman. Never forget that. Never forget that until you're deleted as well._

"Stop!"

A wall of overgrowth separated the two combatants. Imi's mirth drained from her face.

"We are stuck here together," Grove said. "That means we must tolerate each other. Fighting will accomplish nothing."

_Well, maybe not for you._

'_You may know each of us, but how well do you know all of us together?'_ Grove said._ 'Do you really think you can play us off each other like puppets in your theater?'_

_I could try._

'_You will fail,'_ three voices intoned.

The curtain of foliage dropped, and Rockman and Roll walked Slateman and Rouletteman away from the battlefield. Grove folded her violet arms and gazed over the scene.

_No matter. There's always another plan._

**3**

The shadows of the guards streamed into the warehouse, and the rays of the twilight sun painted the floor and the walls in orange and gold.

"Hikari-kun, Sakurai-chan, this way please," said a guard.

"What about us?" asked Yukawa.

"Are you rejecting the protection of the Net Police?"

"Maybe I should."

The guard scoffed and shook his head. As Meiru and Netto's feet hit gravel, the guard shut the door behind them. The kids shielded their eyes from the setting star; the great contrast of the outdoor light faded and washed out the figure that approached them, but his white labcoat gave him away.

"Papa!" cried Netto. "What are you doing here?"

"Making a delivery," said Yuuichirou. "Mariko-sensei dropped off these assignments for you at the Ministry of Science."

Netto sighed, taking the packet in hand. "Sensei's very thorough, isn't she?"

"How are you two holding up?"

"Well enough, oji-san," Meiru said. "Any sign of Echo?"

"None. She hasn't shown her face since the battle in Internet City."

"She's weakened," Netto said. "A couple more hits and we would've stopped her for good."

"A couple more hits and Rockman would've been deleted," Meiru said.

"How is Rockman?" asked Yuuichirou. "I tried a new repair algorithm; I'd like to hear how it worked."

Rockman's image materialized over Netto's shoulder. "It's very good, Papa. Thank you."

"Good to hear," Yuuichirou said. "Very good to hear."

"What's special about this new program, Papa?" asked Netto.

"New program? Oh, yes. It's faster than the standard repair program on most PETs. It's not as quick as the version we use at the Ministry of Science, but if Rockman or someone else were in danger of deletion, they could retreat to their PET and be sure that further data loss will be arrested. That way they won't be vulnerable to Echo attacking the Ministry like with Cardman."

"Oh, that's very clever, Papa!" Netto said.

"Hopefully, we'll never have need of it," Yuuichirou said, "but it's best to be prepared. It's strange, though, that Echo hasn't appeared."

"Isn't that good?" Netto said. "It means we have everyone she was after."

"Perhaps," Yuuichirou said, "but it may mean she's simply waiting for an opportunity."

The kids nodded.

"Well, I should be going," Yuuichirou said, ambling to his car. "More work to do at the lab."

Netto followed him to the driver-side window. "Say hi to Mama for me."

"I don't know if I'll be home tonight."

"Oh."

"Take care of yourselves, Netto, Meiru-chan."

"Thank you, oji-san," Meiru said.

The tires kicked gray dust into the air; the particles showered to the ground as a dense fog, clouding the sun.

Under this gray haze, Meiru walked back to the warehouse, but Netto gazed over the two-lane road as a single car disappeared behind the trees.

"Netto? Something wrong?"

The brunet boy frowned.

"Netto?" She shook his arm. "Netto!"

"We should've had her, Meiru-chan," he said.

_Oh, so that's how you want to be._ "She's not worth Rockman. She would've deleted all of them: Rockman, Blues, Searchman, Slateman."

"Roll could've stopped her."

"_ROCKMAN IS DEAD!" Roll said. "ROCKMAN IS DEAD, AND ECHO KILLED HIM!"_

"No, Netto, she couldn't."

"Why not?"

_Don't worry, Roll. Your secrets are safe with me._ "You gave Echo too much power! Now she can use the power of the beasts against us!"

"I know."

Head hung low, Netto trudged back to the warehouse, and now it was Meiru's turn to frown. _This…this is wrong! That's not what's supposed to happen. You should say something like, "Rockman still would've beaten her," or, "Echo can't copy our friendship," or…something! Something._

She followed him into the warehouse. The door slammed shut behind her, and their three cellmates hounded them with questions.

"What news?" Ikeda said. "Tell me they found her."

"No trace of Echo," Netto said.

"What, don't you have some sort of elaborate trap to catch her while we're bait out here?" Yukawa said.

"I'm sure Net Police are doing everything they can," Egami said. "Isn't that right, Netto-kun?"

"Yeah." Netto plopped on the floor and slid out the packet of assignments. He drew a box in the air with his PET's light pen and wrote his name in the corner of the window.

"I don't believe it," Meiru said.

As Yukawa and Ikeda poked and prodded the pot of soup (their luxurious dinner), Egami stayed behind with Meiru. "What don't you believe?" she said.

"He's doing his homework."

"Yes…"

"It's not all due tomorrow, he hasn't asked for help, and he's not complaining?" Meiru shook her head. "This is very, very wrong."

—

Four navis sat around a square table. "Netto-kun, are you sure you don't want some help?"

"You've always told me I should do my own homework."

"But—"

"No _but_s! Enjoy the game, Rockman."

"Okay." Rockman spread out his hand of thirteen cards. "Imi-chan, how does this game work?"

"Each of us will estimate how many hands we will win," Imi said. "We're playing as pairs, so you and Roll-san are partners, and Grove-san and I are partners."

Roll squirmed. "Imi-chan…do you think we could switch?"

_There she goes again._ "Why do you want to switch, Roll-san?"

"Well, I…I wanted to play with you."

_You mean you don't want to play with Rockman. _"But I wanted to play with Grove-san."

"Oh, well…"

"Please, Roll-san?"

"Well…okay."

"Right," Imi said. "So, as partners, we estimate how many hands each of us will win. If Grove-san and I think we can win 8 hands out of 13 and we win 8 hands, then we get 80 points. If we only win 7 or less, then we lose 80 points. If we win 9, then we only get 80 points, and we pick up 1 'bag.' If we get 10 bags over the course of the game, we lose 100 points. How far do you all want to play to?"

"How much is typical?" asked Grove.

"500 or so."

"500 should be adequate."

"Good," said Imi. "Now, the rules for each hand are simple. The person who starts is the person who won the last hand, and then we go around the circle. Everyone must play a card of the same suit as the first card unless it's impossible. If it's impossible, then you can play a spade. Spades are automatically better than any other card. Ordinarily, the highest card of the opening suit wins, so if Grove-san plays a 10 of Diamonds, Roll-san a 7, Rockman-san a 3 of Clubs, and I a Jack of Diamonds, I would win the hand. But if Rockman-san played a 3 of Spades, he would win."

"This sounds really complicated, Imi-chan," said Roll. "Where did you learn this game?"

Imi flicked the corner of the Queen of Hearts. "An old friend taught me."

'_Cardman would dice you up if he saw this travesty,'_ Rouletteman said. _'Can't you at least play a proper card game? Bridge? Pinochle?'_

_Be quiet._ "Well, shall we begin?"

The combination of Imi and Grove dominated Rockman and Roll, who struggled to play within the rules of the game. Imi forgave Roll the minor transgression of breaking Spades on the first trick, for the musical duo faced much greater problems. Though Rockman tended to bid conservatively, Roll overestimated the number of tricks she could win by a hefty margin each round. At the onset of another round, Imi casually mentioned that one could attempt to earn 100 points by losing all 13 tricks. Alas, poor Roll gambled on this strategy to disastrous effect: she played six spades, five other face cards, and two 10s. She won every trick of the round.

Yet as Roll tossed her cards in disbelief, Rockman pleaded with her to sit and enjoy the game. "This is a game where it doesn't matter if we win or lose," he said. "It's fun to play with you."

The remark pacified her; she sat at the table and reassembled her scattered hand, and the games continued.

And it was good that they continue, for they'd affirmed Imi's suspicions. Nevertheless, a test was in order.

"You're very good at this game, Grove-san," Imi said. "I didn't expect we'd be so good together."

'_Yes you did.'_ "It's a simple game."

"It's not simple," Roll said. "At least, not at first."

"It's quite simple," Grove said. "It's all about sacrificing low cards you don't plan to win with whenever you can and depriving someone else of winning a trick they thought they should."

"Grove-san makes it sound a lot easier than it is," Imi said. _Grove's always a little smug like that._

'_I speak only the truth_,_'_ Grove said. "I don't like to make things sound more complicated than they are." She blinked. "Excuse me. Egami-san needs me for a moment." She vanished.

"She's always so rude!" Roll said. "She acts like we're all morons."

"Grove is a little short with people," Rockman said.

"A little!"

"But she's level-headed. She kept Slateman and Rouletteman from fighting, and she tried to save Sonicman."

Ah, Sonicman. Grove could try all she liked, it wouldn't have mattered. Not then, not now.

"Well, Grove's practically perfect, isn't she?" Roll said. "Maybe she should be your partner from now on."

"No one is perfect, Roll-san," Imi said. "Grove-san isn't. I'm not."

Roll folded her arms and huffed.

_Don't worry, Roll-san. You'll see what Grove's weakness is._ Imi tapped her finger on the back of a card. The backing glowed, and another card, belonging to the empty seat across from her, also shone._ Cardman didn't just teach me to play cards. He taught me to play _with_ cards. I learn many things from my choir, even though they plague me. From Slateman, I learned determination; from Rouletteman, the impact of chance. What have I learned from Grove? To be rational, to see things for what they are. But that's not all._

Grove rematerialized none the wiser. "I apologize for the delay. Shall we continue?"

"We shall," Imi said, burying her face in her cards. Grove examined her hand, card-by-card, once, twice, and thrice. "Something wrong?" asked the dealer.

"This is not my hand," Grove said.

"Pardon?"

"This card was not in my hand when I left."

"I didn't see anyone touch it," Imi said. "Rockman-san? Roll-san?"

Blue and pink shook their heads.

"Is this a trick?" said Grove.

"A what?" said Imi.

"Show me your hand."

"We're not supposed to—eek!" Grove's vines bound Imi's wrists, and the eggplant navi studied the thirteen cards of Imi's hand.

"This one," Grove said, "the 8 of Clubs. It was in my hand. How did you get it?"

"I didn't _get_ it; it was mine!"

Roll yanked on thorny overgrowth. "Let go of Imi-chan! Let go!"

"Grove, don't hurt her," said Rockman.

"You switched them," Grove said. "You switched them to test me! Why?"

Imi gaped. _How did she know…?_

'_Maybe it's time I did a little mind reading of my own.'_

_You—you saw it! How?_

"Stop it!" Roll said. "You're hurting her!"

"I'm not finished," Grove said. "There's more here. A battle—yes, a battle. Great beasts with claws and feathers…"

_She…she can't find out anymore! Soon she'll know; she'll know everything! _"Roll-san, make her stop!"

"That's enough!" Rockman's buster grazed a thorn on Grove's tentacles. Shocked, Grove retracted them.

"Are you all right, Imi-chan?" asked Roll.

"I'm fine."

"She touched you."

Imi rubbed her wrist. "Yes, she did."

"I saw something," Grove said. "I'm…not entirely sure what."

"You said it was a battle," Rockman said.

"Was it?"

"I don't know. Are you all right?"

"Time will tell." Shaken and troubled, Grove left the table.

'_You thought we had to be safe from you, Echo, but…'_

Imi's wrist tinged black and blue. _But?_

'…_maybe you need to be safe from us.'_

**4**

"Netto! Netto!"

The brunet boy rubbed his eyes and wiggled from his sleeping bag. "What happened, Meiru-chan?"

She thrust her PET in his face. "It's Roll! She's gone!"

"Gone? How?"

"Grove too," Egami said.

"And Rouletteman," Ikeda said.

"Don't be foolish," Yukawa said. "They're not gone."

"Is Slateman in his PET?" asked Netto.

"No, of course not. Echo deleted him."

"Deleted him? When?"

"It's the only explanation."

All their navis deleted? By Echo? But how?

Netto spotted the blue and white PET by his sleeping bag. He snatched it and peered at the screen.

"_Ohayou_, Netto-kun," said Rockman.

"Rockman! You're alive!"

"Of course I'm alive."

"All the others—Roll, Grove—they're gone! Deleted!"

"Yes, I deleted them."

Netto blinked. "What? Don't say that, Rockman! Why would you delete them?"

"To be fair, I didn't delete them. You did."

"_I_ did?"

"You deleted them as soon as you slotted-in the _juuka_ chips, as soon as you gave me the power of Greiga and Falzer."

"We were fighting Echo…"

"You should have known better. You should have known!"

"_Netto, you idiot! Why would you give her that kind of power?" Enzan said._

"_A serious tactical mistake," Laika said._

"_Now Echo is not only free, but more powerful than ever," Kifune said._

Netto glared at Meiru. "You shouldn't have let her go!"

"And sacrifice me, Netto-kun?"

"It wasn't like that!" Netto gritted his teeth. "We could've—"

"We couldn't! I was being deleted, and you insisted on fighting!"

"But, but…" He glanced at the trio before him: Egami, Ikeda, and Yukawa. "Their navis never should've crossed her!"

Rockman shook his head. "Echo can look like anything and anyone. Do you think they knew when they touched me?"

"Touched…_you_?"

"Yes, Netto. Touched _me_." Rockman's glowed and blurred, and a pair of red eyes pierced through. "You gave me this power," Echo said. "Isn't it only fitting that I become your navi, too?"

"No! No no no!" He clutched the PET in his fingers and chucked it at the far wall; it shattered into a thousand shards.

"Rockman was Echo. Rockman…ROCKMAN!"

"Netto!"

"ROCKMAN IS ECHO! HE KILLED THEM!"

Five fingers of sense slapped Netto's cheek. "Don't be an idiot," Meiru said. "Rockman isn't Echo!" She pointed at the door. "Echo is out there!"

Netto sat up. A palm-shaped impression on his cheek throbbed red. "I gave her the power, Meiru-chan. I gave her the power to kill."

Meiru's glare softened. "No, Netto. She was already killing before you used the beasts against her. She copied them, and I let her go. It's done; it's over."

The boy glanced around the room, at the other three operators, who stared at him.

"It's not over," he said. "She's still here."

—

"Hedged Bets!"

"Petal Shield!"

As miniature roulette wheels crashed against a spray of lavender flowers, three navis bore witness to the spectacle and discussed the morning's events.

"So Netto-san thought—"

"Netto-kun had a bad dream; that's all."

'_Do you see what you do to them?'_ said Grove. _'You've filled them with doubt and anxiety, with mistrust and despair.'_

_Rockman is fine. Don't make it sound so clear-cut. I'm sure Hikari's state of mind is just fine now, too._

'_It's not just him,'_ said Slateman. _'Remember her?'_

Roll caressed the heart-shaped symbol on her chest. She gazed up and peeked at Rockman; then her eyes sank to the floor.

'_You separated the inseparable,'_ Rouletteman said. _'You took her love for him and clouded it with fear and anguish.'_

_I did no such thing._

'_You did! You want to know? Ask _him_.'_

"Roulette Wheel!"

"Roots of the Earth! Spread Gun!"

Rouletteman struggled against the bindings. He ducked under the lip of the roulette wheel, which absorbed the Spread Gun's volley. As the ball settled into Red 5, towers of flame peppered the battlefield. The vines sloughed off Rouletteman in charred chunks, and Grove fell to one knee, singed and seared.

And as Rockman enjoyed the battle, Roll watched empty air.

"Rockman-san."

"Yes, Imi-chan?"

"Can I speak with you for a moment? Alone?"

"Sure."

Roll's eyes traced their escape, but her legs lay limp.

Imi and Rockman distanced themselves from Roll. Confident that she would not overhear, Imi said, "Rockman-san, Roll-san hasn't been herself since Echo tried to kill Slateman, has she?"

"You thought so, too?"

"Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know."

"Don't you? It has to do with you, after all."

"With me?"

"Of course it does."

"Really?"

_You are far cleverer on the field of battle than in this arena, Rockman._ But, perhaps it was time to try a different approach. "Roll-san let Echo escape, didn't she? What happened next?"

"We left Internet City."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Cleary Rockman was too oblivious to understand the consequences of his actions. "Wait here," Imi said.

'_What do you expect to hear?'_ Grove said. _'That the world is cheery and bright?'_

_You're wrong; all of you are wrong. People have issues; I have issues. That's normal; that's life._

'_Hearing voices in your head is a more exotic issue,'_ Rouletteman said.

_Be quiet._ She cleared her throat. "Roll-san."

"What is it, Imi-chan?"

"Why are you afraid of Rockman-san?"

Flinch. "I…I'm not afraid."

"Then what are you?"

"Do you know why we're here, Imi-chan?"

"To protect us from Echo." _To protect us from me._

" 'I let her go, and this happened. Now you let her go, and who knows what will happen.' That's what he said, and this is what happened." Her fingers clenched into a fist. "We're here, and who knows how long we'll be here. If I hadn't fixed the plug-out controls, Echo would be trapped in Internet City or deleted or something else. She wouldn't be a threat anymore."

"But Roll-san, if you hadn't fixed the plug-out controls, Echo would've deleted Rockman-san."

"I know! I know; I know! I look at him, and I see her! Everything would be normal if she were dead—if _he_ were dead! But if he were dead…"

"Roll-san?"

"If he were dead, I might as well be dead, too."

'_You killed her,' _Slateman said. _'You killed her without ever laying a finger on her.'_

"Roll-chan."

Rockman stood beside Imi. Roll wiped a budding tear away and rose to her feet.

"Roll-chan, I—" She smothered him in her embrace and buried her face in his chest. "I don't understand," Rockman said.

"I know you don't," she said, "but you don't have to."

'_You crush their spirit,' _Grove said. _'You erode their sanity. As long as you exist, they will know no peace.'_

Could they be right? First Netto, now Roll…

_I didn't mean for it to turn out this way. I never meant to hurt them. I knew I might have to, but—_

'_This is perverse, isn't it?'_ Rouletteman said. _'Worse than any torture you could have inflicted on them.'_

'_If you care about them truly,'_ Grove said, _'then you'll end this.'_

_End this…_

"Agh!" In a trail of smoke and fire, Rouletteman knelt in submission. Grove, the victor, twirled her vines in the air, and in Rouletteman's place, Slateman entered the ring.

_I can't lose this chance. Grove is weakened, and Slateman is impulsive. You can both be manipulated._

'_What do you want?'_ Grove said. _'How far will you go to silence us, and at what cost to these friends you care so much for?'_

Roll wept steaming tears into Rockman's armor.

"Spike Tower!"

'_If you really want to call them friends, they deserve better!'_ Rouletteman said.

'_Turn yourself in,'_ Slateman said, _'and their ordeal will be over.'_

"Petal Shield!"

_If I kill all of you, their ordeal will be over, and I have just the opportunity to kill one or two of you right now._

As Grove thrust and slashed with her vines, Slateman punched and jabbed with his fists. A stony uppercut struck Grove's chin. Stunned, her arms flailed, and Slateman landed a triple combination to her gut.

"Enough," she said, dazed and breathless. "I yield."

"No big surprise," Slateman said, pumping his fists.

_But this will be._

A pillar of jagged rock erupted from the ground, piercing Grove's side.

"What are you doing?" she cried. "The match is over!"

"I didn't do that!" Thorny tethers sprouted from below bound his legs and wrists. He struggled against their pull, but they thickened and hardened into a dense wooden crucible. "Stop this! Let me go you overgrown plant!"

Grove darted and dodged the pillars that followed her. "If you wish to fight, then we can fight to the last! Leaf Cut!"

The blades sliced open Slateman's branched prison and lodged in his joints. He waved his arms and kicked his legs, but the leaves locked his elbows and knees.

"Yield!" Grove said.

"I yield; I yield!"

But Grove collapsed under an avalanche of boulders and rubble.

_How does _that_ push your buttons, Grove?_

—

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Yukawa cried.

"What am _I_ doing?" Egami said. "You attacked with the Spike Tower after Grove gave up!"

"I won't let a kid pull a fast one on me! Slateman!"

Slateman ripped at the leaves that clogged his joints. He charged the rock pile, and his scuffed, gray knuckles swelled and bulged, infused with solid gold.

"Hurry, Grove!" Egami said. "He's coming!"

A white light penetrated the gaps in the pile.

"Stop!" Rockman dove into the fray between Slateman and Grove. "Stop now!"

"Out of my way!" Slateman bashed his Gold Fist on a cylindrical barrier. Rockman and Slateman pushed back and forth across the Dream Aura's protective shield

"Go!" Egami said. "Sunbeam!"

The pinprick ray bored into the Dream Aura, and Rockman pushed on both sides to support the force of opposing impacts. His elbows buckled; his knees bent…

…but he summoned the strength for one last jolt.

Slateman fell backward, repelled, and the Sunbeam scattered and dissipated.

"No more battling," Netto said. "Echo has tricked you. Echo has tricked us all."

—

The worst possible outcome. Not only did Grove and Slateman survive—now they were all looking for her.

"Tomorrow, Papa will come here and examine all of our navis," Netto had said. "Then we will see who is Echo."

"Hello? I want to get out of here now!" Yukawa said. "Not tomorrow, now!"

"Papa has a project," Netto said. "He can't leave it right now."

'_Awfully convenient for you, isn't it, Echo?'_ Rouletteman said.

"If any of our navis looks suspicious, they will be…ah, what did Papa call it?"

"Quarantined, Netto-kun," Rockman said.

"If any of our navis looks suspicious, they will be quarantined."

Another cage to live out the rest of one's life.

Night. Night again. At night it should be quiet, but Imi's chorus always kept her company. Amidst sleeping bags and dripping pipes, three voices chattered away in her mind.

'_It won't be long now,'_ Grove said. _'They will find you out.'_

_There has to be something else; there has to be something I can do._

'_There's nothing,'_ Slateman said. _'Your reign of terror is over.'_

_But Papa…if they lock me up and throw me away, will I see Papa again?_

'_You think he'll want to see you?'_ Slateman said. _'You're his broken little program. You're not even his daughter.'_

'_No, _I'm_ his daughter.'_

_Masuyo-chan!_

'_You're not his daughter!'_ Slateman said. _'You're just another aspect of her!'_

'_I think Imi has had it right all along.'_

Blink. No longer did the dark screen of Roll's PET lay under Imi's feet; instead, she stood atop the wooden pedestal of the choir hall, and four councilors surrounded her: Grove, Slateman, Rouletteman, and Masuyo.

"Be quiet," Masuyo said. "Leave Imi alone. She doesn't want to hear you."

"I have no obligation to listen to you," Slateman said. "You're her."

"I am Nakamura Masuyo. My father is Hideki, and my mother was Chouko. Whether I am dead or alive, whether I'm real or just a figment of Imi's…it doesn't matter. _Be quiet._"

"What do you think you can accomplish?" Grove said. "You can't erase her sins. You can't fix a broken program. You're a symptom of her errors."

"I can keep her sane," Masuyo said. "I can restore what the three of you have worked to destroy from the moment you touched her."

"You can do nothing," Rouletteman said. "Echo belongs to us now."

"No, you belong to Imi, and she can force you out."

"I can?" said Imi.

"You can." Masuyo joined her on the pedestal. "Tell them."

Imi glanced between the three navis. "Go away."

"No," they said.

"Go away!"

"No!"

She wrung her hands. "It doesn't work, Masuyo-chan. It never works."

"Once more." Masuyo took her hand and gripped it firm. "With feeling."

Imi stomped on the floor and closed her eyes. "Go away! Be quiet! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

And it was silent.

"Look, Imi."

The curtain of darkness—the veil that separated the chorus from Grove, Slateman, and Rouletteman—swelled forth and enveloped her tormentors. She and Masuyo were alone, but Imi waved her fingers in the black soup, and their whispers tickled her ears.

"They're still out there," Imi said. "They're waiting."

"You can ignore them now. Listen."

Crunch, crunch. The guards outside patrolled the gravel road.

Swish, swish. Netto rolled in his sleeping bag.

'_It's a lot quieter, isn't it?'_

_Shh._ Imi shut her eyes and cupped her hands over her ears. Even Roll's PET hummed as it projected her into the real world.

_It's beautiful. I'd almost forgotten._ A droplet poked through her eyelids and clung to her face. _It was like this when you were here. It was like this when Papa…_

The voices, the choir, surged within her. _'Echo, Echo, Echo!'_

Her eyes snapped open. _They're coming back._

'_Imi, I need you to think clearly.'_

_They're coming back, Masuyo-chan; help me!_

'_I can't help you. I _am_ you. They were right; I can't help you unless you can help yourself.'_

_But what am I—_

'_Stop the madness, Imi. You can think for yourself now; you know what you've done is wrong. You've caused too much agony.'_

_I can't live with them in my head! I can't!_

'_Do you remember? I lived with so much pain, and I didn't have a way to make it go away. You helped me live with it, but I still had to endure it myself. That's what you need to do now.'_

'_ECHO, ECHO, ECHO!'_

_I'm not as strong as you, Masuyo-chan. I'm not as good as you. That's why Papa could love you…and not me._

'_So what will you do?'_

_You're right; I've caused too much suffering._ She dipped her hand into Roll's PET. Down there somewhere Roll slept. She glanced at a pair of sleeping bags: one topped by a smooth mass of red hair, the other a spiked mess of brown. _I stole their souls. I gave them doubts. I've made their lives…so miserable. I put them here; I locked them in this cage._

'_And now?'_

_Now I can set them free._

'_How?'_

Imi massaged her wrists. Grove's vines had bruised them purple and blue.

_I know just the way._

**5**

"Good morning, everyone," said Hikari Yuuichirou. "What I'm going to do is analyze your navis' data to look for anything unusual. If any of them turns out to be Echo, then I imagine their programs will look quite strange, don't you think?"

Chirp-chirp. The professor pushed his glasses up his nose. "Well then, let's get started. Who would like to go first?"

"May I?" Egami said.

Yuuichirou opened his laptop. "Just plug Grove in, and we can begin."

In the cyberworld, the six navis sat in a circle, each awaiting their turn. Grove disappeared, leaving a hole between Rockman and Rouletteman.

"Will it hurt?" Imi said.

"Papa said you won't feel a thing," Rockman said.

Lines of code reflected off Yuuichirou's lenses. "Grove looks to be in good health. I did notice a strange ghost of some junk data, but it doesn't seem all that suspicious."

Imi smiled. She lay back and closed her eyes. Green strands of hair brushed against Slateman's back.

Slateman's eyes darted back and forth.

"Who's next?" Yuuichirou said.

"Please, for the love of money, us next," Ikeda said, shining the PET's laser light on the laptop's receptor. Again, Yuuichirou scanned the code line by line.

"Nothing unusual," he said.

"Papa, can Rockman go next?" asked Netto.

The scientist frowned. "I doubt Rockman could have been—"

"Please?"

"Well…plug him in."

Blocks of code flashed on the screen. The white letters filled every space; neither break nor tab interrupted the flow of letters and numbers. Yuuichirou punched page down with curious speed; though each new section of code was otherwise formless and identical to the last, he jumped from one to the next with certainty, but the code flowed without end.

Slateman twisted his neck. How long would this take? It was one thing when Rouletteman and Grove only took a couple minutes, but for Rockman, Yuuichirou had pored through ten straight minutes of code! How much more could there be? How much more—

'_It won't be long now. Be patient.'_

Who was that?

'_Don't worry, Papa. I'll always be with you. I'll always smile.'_

Whose voice is that?

'_I'm tired of your lies!'_ Slateman clutched his chest. A pick stuck through it and twisted, widening the wound.

"Help me," he groaned. "Help—"

'_I know you better than you know yourself.'_

A white, gloved hand clutched his elbow. "Are you all right, Slateman-san?" _'Do you think you'll survive?'_

"It's you, isn't it?" he said. "It was you all along, you 'innocent' little—"

'_Imi, this is not the answer, I beg you—'_

'_You can't defeat me like this! You can't, it's not—'_

"I found you," Slateman said. "I found—"

'_BE QUIET!'_

Slateman froze.

'_I rule your mind now! You will listen to me! I've listened to you for long enough!'_

His eyes widened. "But you're just—"

'_Don't look at me! Don't say a word!'_

Slateman sat, his face blank, his eyes set on outer space.

"Why is it taking so long?" asked Yukawa. "Rouletteman and Grove were finished in a quarter of the time."

"Rockman's program is very complex," Yuuichirou said. "He's much more advanced than most navis."

"Well, isn't that special for you."

At last, black, empty lines appeared. "All finished, Netto. Aside from the memories he's gathered from your journeys, Rockman is the same as when he was born."

"When he was born?" Netto said.

Yuuichirou blinked. "Ah, well…" He chuckled. "When he was created in my lab, that is."

A pause.

"Who's next?"

'_Yukawa, can we go next?'_

"Yukawa," Slateman said, "can we go next?"

"Yes, yes, I demand to go next!" Yukawa said.

"Just plug Slateman in."

Imi tightened her grip on the stony elbow. _'Yukawa won't wait, will he?'_

_N-no…_

—

"If any of our navis looks suspicious, they will be quarantined," Netto had said.

"No quarantine!" Yukawa said. "If we find Echo, I want her deleted right then and there!"

"And what if it happens to be Slateman?" Meiru said. "What then?"

"Then I'll delete him myself."

—

'_Goodbye, Slateman.'_

The circle of navis dematerialized, and Slateman clawed at a formless abyss around him. He hovered, weightless, as a single spot of light pierced his body and lit up his insides.

_That voice…the girl…she was Echo!_

"Hmm, this is odd," Yuuichirou said. "Slateman's data—it contains information that isn't his."

"Like Echo would," Netto said.

"Exactly."

"So Slateman is Echo."

"It's possible. We should quarantine—"

"It's not true!" Slateman cried. "I'm not Echo! It's the girl!"

Yukawa frowned. "What girl?"

"The little one! She touched me, and I heard her!"

Rockman's image appeared on Netto's shoulder. "That's what Echo said. She said when she touched someone, she heard them."

"How long have you been Echo?" Yukawa said. "Tell me!"

"I'm not Echo! You must trust me, Yukawa!"

"Echo replaced Rouletteman for a time. How do I know you're not Echo now?"

"You don't! But please, show me mercy!"

"Mercy? I know Echo showed that pink navi a healthy helping of mercy, but if you killed my Slateman—if you deleted him and replaced him—I will show you none." He turned the PET face down and clenched it in his fist. He eyed the concrete wall and cocked his arm.

"No, Yukawa, please wait! I AM NOT ECH—"

TING! The metal frame, the rubber button, the plastic screen—they splintered and fragmented. A spot of gray paint marred the wall, and shards and circuits littered the floor.

"There," Yukawa said. "Echo is dead. It's over."

—

In the shadow of the morning sun, two men, a boy, and two girls ventured forth into the world. The third dawn of their incarceration had long passed, but their freedom brought no peace, for though Echo was dead, her demise elicited not cheers or jubilee: only silence.

A silence Imi welcomed with open arms.


	7. Spine of the Hedgehog

**Chapter Six: Spine of the Hedgehog**

"But Shuu-nee-chan needs something without words pyu!"

The navi behind the counter drummed his fingers in rhythm with his chest-mounted speakers. "There's lots of music in this store without lyrics. Just what kind do you need?"

"Something to play in Higureya for the customers pyu."

Sonicman sighed. Here he and Murata Sakae sold romantic symphonies, classic rock-and-roll that defined a generation, and the traditional _shoumyou_ of Buddhist monks—solitary, pentatonic chants. Five rows of melody and harmony scattered across a dozen shelves; even a small sample could inspire the soul or release the full depth and breadth of human emotion. In music, there was power. There was no doubt of that. The power to fulfill any desire.

Yet this talking globe of water that tip-toed over the lip of the counter wanted nothing more than muzak…

…pyu.

Tick. 18:00. "I really should close," said Sonicman.

"But Shuu-nee-chan—"

"What kind of store is Higureya?"

"A chip store pyu."

A chip store. What kind of music would they want in a chip store? Hmm…

…

"But that has words pyu!"

Sonicman bagged the file and handed it to Aquaman. "Don't worry. You can turn the words off and on; it's new technology."

"Really pyu?"

"Really pyu."

Aquaman skipped out the door, bag in hand. "Answer must be somewhere pyu! _Watashi no koto dare yori mo shiteru _pyu_! Watashi dakara shinjirareru _pyu!"

Sonicman shook his head and chuckled. "I probably shouldn't ask…" He frowned. "…pyu."

With his last customer for the day a happy man—er, boy—er, spherical water glob—Sonicman locked up the Treble Clef and headed for home. It was a slow route, granted, but this was daily ritual. The last time he'd simply plugged out of Internet City, a pair of extra-dimensional cyber beasts ravaged town. Not only that, the shockwaves shattered the outside window. Since then, Sonicman made a habit of walking home, and though no small number of catastrophes befell the city since, none of them even cracked that pane of glass.

_Why question good luck?_

"Ack!" His foot caught on something white; he tripped and face-planted.

_I guess that's why._

"Are you all right?"

A small girl—a child—hovered over him. _A child navi?_ Clad in pure white, with green rings around her boots and gloves and a pointy hat atop her head, the girl bore only one distinguishing mark:

A boot print across a fold in her skirt.

"I think that was my fault," Sonicman said. He sat up and cleaned the dust from his speakers. "What's your name, child?"

"Imi."

"Are you waiting for someone, Imi-chan?"

Her eyes hit the ground.

"You're not waiting for someone?"

She shook her head.

Sonicman peered at Imi's face. "You have nowhere to go, do you?"

Flinch, shudder. Nod, nod.

_Little navi like this…probably not designed to fight. She could survive, but what's the life of a navi without an operator?_

She curled away from him, inward, onto herself. _Like she's exposed, just standing here, talking to me._

He rested his hand on her shoulder. "Do you need somewhere to stay?"

Her eyes widened and locked onto his. "What?"

"Do you need somewhere—" But she winced and jammed her hand over her ear. "What's wrong?" Sonicman said. "What do you hear?"

"I hear…" Her voice—her whole body—trembled like a quivering stick. "I hear…" Her eyes flashed; she batted his arm away and dashed down the street.

"What an odd little girl," Sonicman said. It was no matter. No matter where you go, there are strange people, strange navis. Strange little girl navis with no home to go to. Surely she wasn't the only one in the world.

'_Papa!'_

Sonicman glanced down the street. Imi's form vanished in the shadows of skyscrapers.

'_Papa! Don't leave me, Papa!'_

Maybe not the only one in the world…

_But that doesn't make it hurt any less, does it?_

**1**

Bee-da-bee-BUM-bum-bum. Bee-da-bee-BUM-bum-bum.

Bum, bum-bum! Bum, bum-bum!

Low-frequency bass rattled the glasses, and drops of punch splashed over rim of the bowl. Searchlights scanned the dance floor, where merry partygoers whirled and hopped to the rhythm of the beat.

But Sakurai Meiru leaned against a wall and gazed across the crowd.

"Having fun, Meiru-chan?"

The hostess of the party lifted her prim pink dress over her feet as she stepped into the darkness. She tweaked the red rose on her chest, but it sagged with each adjustment. "Honestly! I should never buy a dress from these people again! How they can get away with this kind of poor fit is a crime!"

Her yellow braids whipped about as she yanked on the gloves. "What exactly is wrong with it?" Meiru said.

"Everything! Just…everything! They'll never get a contract from us again!"

"You do seem a bit overdressed, Yaito-chan."

"What, for this?" A stray percussive beat pounded the floor. The punch table jumped, and Yaito shrunk away. "No way!" she said. "This isn't my style! But everybody said they wanted to have a dancing room, and I guess not everybody can be cultured enough to learn to dance _properly_!"

Indeed, the dancers gyrated their limbs and contorted their bodies like dolls—the wackier the movement, the more unnatural and inhuman, the better.

And then, of course, only certain…_parts_…could be emphasized by these techniques.

Was this really a dance…or the courtship of animals? Strapping young boys circled petite young girls like a stag flanks a doe. It's a behavior programmed into people; we do as biology tells us.

_But aren't we meant for something more?_

"You don't seem to belong here either, Meiru-chan," Yaito said. "Someplace else, maybe?"

"Someplace else, maybe."

The hostess led the way, into the hall of windows. A row of lights lined the ceiling overhead, and Meiru shielded her eyes with her sleeve. Outside, dusk fell on the Ayanokouji mansion, and where Meiru's classmates camped on the lawn, on blankets and beach towels. Frisbees and footballs spiraled from hand to hand, and the playful cries of the multitudes pierced the glass and echoed through the halls.

They echoed, for this was a party—nay, a celebration—to rejoice in the death of Echo.

"The _defeat_ of Echo," Yaito said. "After all you and Netto did—"

"We didn't _defeat_ her," Meiru said, "and I'm pretty sure she's dead."

"Still, Echo is _gone_, and it's a good occasion for a party."

"It is?"

"People should have more parties, but not everyone can afford them, I know. I can, though, and that's excuse enough."

_That's Yaito-chan for you, all right._

"Where is that Netto, anyway?"

"He isn't here yet."

"How do you know?"

The pair happened upon the banquet hall, where 100 meters of tables served the masses their supper.

"I know," Meiru said. "There's still food left."

They kept walking. "You know him well, Meiru-chan."

_Do I?_

"_ROCKMAN IS ECHO! HE KILLED THEM!"_

"Meiru-chan?"

_As long as we've known each other, I didn't think he had that kind of fear in him._

"Yaito-sama! Yaito-sama, the cake is here!"

"_Hai!_" The Gabcom heiress took her friend by the hand. "Do cheer up, Meiru-chan. I want you to have a good time. I want everybody to have a good time."

Meiru smiled weakly. "I will, Yaito-chan."

"Why don't you go to the pool? It should be nice out there."

"Okay."

"Yaito-sama!"

"Coming!" Double pigtails bounced behind her as she teetered down the hall and disappeared around the corner.

_The pool, huh?_

A soaked volleyball thudded against the door to pool patio.

"Meiru-chan!"

Ooyama Dekao cupped his hands around his mouth. "Meiru-chan! The ball!"

Meiru stepped outside and tossed the ball back into the pool, where the players squabbled over the serve. Though chlorine spray hung in the air, Meiru watched fondly as the schoolboys batted the ball back and forth, wading through the water. Competition was fierce—Tohru dove to save a spike, and the waves spilled onto the concrete floor—but it was also amicable. "Come on, it's easy, just hit the ball with your arm!" Dingo taunted them, as he served up ace after ace, but the other boys splashed water in his face to douse his laughter.

Yes, this was the place. She could stay here all night.

A pink navi's image appeared on her shoulder, and a cone-shaped hat peeked around her. "Meiru-chan, I'd like to take Imi-chan to meet everyone," Roll said. "Is that all right?"

"Sure."

The two navis vanished, and Meiru reclined in a pool chair, to the shouts and splashes of the volleyball game.

And eyes.

Crisp, gray eyes rent her flesh and sawed to the bone. His jaw clenched; he stared at her. Not one of the boys—no, this was a man. Young and fit, perhaps, but he sported a sharp, white crew cut and a tan overcoat.

_I can stare too, you know._ Meiru glared, but he only walked away, out of sight, behind the pool house.

Yet even as palm fronds and shaped stone blocked the view, the stranger's glare fixed upon Meiru and kept her company throughout the night.

**2**

"Listen to me de masu! That song you sold to Shuuko-chan is tearing my store apart de masu! The shelves are vibrating, the chips are rattling…you must do something de masu!"

Sonicman squinted. Perhaps if he could shut his eyes even further than the bespectacled man on the screen, his troubles would just go away.

But Higure Yamitarou glared at him with his eyelids. "Well? We want our money back de masu!"

"Have you ever thought that your shop needs a makeover?"

"What?"

"Net battling is all the rage. Your store should represent the forefront of technology."

"What do you mean de masu ka?"

"Your store looks very…bright. I would say you can darken it a bit, add one of those revolving lights or two. Kids always go for a strong bass beat; you'll just have to reinforce your shelves."

"But…that costs money de masu!"

"It would be a good investment."

Higure stroked his chin. "It's true; all the good net battlers seem to be kids…"

"Let me know if you need any more music for your store's playlist," Sonicman said.

"I will! Thank you de masu!" The window closed.

"You're welcome," Sonicman said, "…de masu?" What will these people call a "dialect" next? Ending every sentence with something like…de puku?

Ding-a-ling! "Welcome," said Sonicman. "Welcome to the Treble—"

Imi's eyes roamed the shelves.

"It's you!" Sonicman stepped in front of the counter. "What are you doing here?"

"I…" She squirmed. "I…"

"It's all right, Imi-chan; don't be frightened. You're safe—"

His finger missed her shoulder, and she scurried into the corner, amidst Jimi Hendrix and Bon Jovi. He approached, but she sank deeper still and curled into a ball.

"What happened?" Sonicman said. "What's wrong?"

"Please!" she said. "Please don't touch me again."

Sonicman backed away, palms up. "It's all right; it's all right. I won't touch you. I promise."

She nodded.

"Do you…still need a place to stay?"

Another nod.

"Sakae-kun would probably welcome your company," Sonicman said. "Sakae-kun is my—"

"No! No more voices!" She covered her ears. "It's too loud already."

"What's too loud?"

"I didn't know! I didn't know this was going to happen! Please, this is not my fault; I didn't know!"

_Is she insane? Can a navi even become insane?_

"I'm sorry." She climbed to her feet. "You sound…similar."

"Is that so?"

Nod.

"Well, Imi-chan, I'd like to help you, but—"

Imi rubbed her ears.

"You hear something you don't want to hear?"

"Uh-huh."

Sonicman smiled and ducked behind the counter. "Stay right there."

"What are you looking for?"

"This!" Between his fingers, a pair of headphones dangled and bounced. A cord unfurled, leading to a plug. Sonicman crouched next to Imi. "Take them."

Her hand jerked and jiggled, but she clutched the headphones gingerly and sighed with relief when Sonicman's fingers slid off the band.

_She really doesn't want to touch me, does she?_

She placed her cap on the ground and donned the device. "What now?"

"Try a song, any song."

Imi fingered the plug and scanned the shelves. An image of branches and leaves piqued her curiosity. She sank the plug into the file…and frowned. "Can you make it louder?"

Sonicman fumbled for the volume control—a tiny widget halfway down the cord—and turned the dial. "Better?"

"More."

Another quarter turn. "Now?"

"More."

"Tell me when to stop." He cranked it, revolution after revolution, until it snapped to a halt. A brisk wind rustled through the headphones, audible even to his ears. "Are you sure that's—"

Eyes closed, a serene smile. Breath in, breath out. "It's perfect."

"Let me know if you need anything else, Imi-chan."

Nod nod.

Sonicman plopped back on his stool behind the counter. He watched Imi closely. _She's a strange little navi all right._ But her boots rooted her to the floor. She became the lone nymph in a forest of rhythm and overtone.

—

_This forest isn't as pacifying._

Like their human counterparts, the navis enjoyed and embraced the festivities…in their own way. Indeed, the Ayanokouji mansion was every bit as impressive in the virtual world as it was in the real world. Roll bounced from room to room and chatted with friends old and new. They shot the breeze and, if the operators were up for it, they shot at each other, too, but only for a little while.

But mostly, the navis talked, and the topic was always the same.

'_Echo, Echo, Echo.'_

"I heard she could look like anyone, could _be_ anyone."

"And she could turn into a beast like Rockman can."

"Is it true that if she could delete you in one touch? And read your mind?"

Roll cut through the tide of rumor and speculation, but there was one question she doggedly avoided.

"How was Echo deleted? How did she die?"

"She was deleted," Roll said. "It was tough, but we survived."

'_Not all of us,'_ Grove said.

As Roll entertained the many questions about Echo, Rouletteman and Grove stood aloof. Roll glanced at them for a moment, but they walked away.

'_A perfect chance, Echo,'_ Rouletteman said. _'You could kill both of us now, and it wouldn't matter.'_

Imi shook her head. _Not here. Not now._

'_Not ever, I hope,'_ Masuyo said.

'_She can't resist,'_ Grove said. _'She can't stop until we're gone.'_

_I can stop. I _have_ stopped._

'_For now,'_ Rouletteman said.

'_You both antagonize her,'_ Masuyo said. _'Why? Why do you do this?'_

'_Let's pretend for a moment you aren't just a part of her,'_ Grove said. _'How would you feel, being trapped in here, when you used to live on the outside? Do you think you could handle it better, watching every waking moment of her life, hearing every stray thought or passing memory?'_

'_She should get it over with,'_ Rouletteman said. _'Kill us now, so we can dissipate into the choir, or get killed in the process, so we can rest for good.'_

Masuyo scoffed. _'You're both insane.'_

'_Says the voice in the navi's head,'_ Rouletteman said._ 'Regardless of what _you_ think, we're entitled to some rest. Echo owes us that much.'_

_I owe you nothing. The only people I owe are Rockman and Roll for what I've put them through._

'_And the others, Imi?'_ Masuyo said._ 'The ones you've killed already?'_

_They weren't nice people. They weren't nice navis, but _they_ are. To them I owe much, to make up for what I've done._

"Where did she come from? Do you know, Roll-san?"

"I don't know, Iceman. I don't know."

_She has so many questions to answer, and she's all alone._

"Where is Rockman anyway?"

_That's a good question. Where is Rockman?_

**3**

"Welcome to Saito Engines for RC (Radio Control)!"

Rockman shook his head. _This is not what I wanted._

"Takashi Saito – Los Angeles Dodgers"

_I doubt this has to do with baseball._

"Saito or Saitou is a common Japanese surname…"

Scroll down. Scroll down scroll down scroll down!

"Beverly Saito—Potter"

_This is going nowhere._ Rockman wiped away the text "Saito" from the search prompt. "Saito BAT" appeared in its place.

"Baseball Toaster: Dodger Thoughts : You Feel So Good to Me"

_Oh no._

"…we might get to see Saito bat…"

Perhaps this was a bit more than a futile exercise. Then again, being a navi didn't lend itself to many hobbies. In truth, Netto's hobbies and interests were Rockman's, weren't they? A fondness for net battles, to be sure. A good match against a tough opponent always taught Rockman (and more so Netto) a new tactic, a new maneuver. Battle challenged their ability to adapt. Indeed, it was the only way Netto could think analytically, and even then, he was as reliant on intuition (and a little luck) as he was on grand strategy.

Rockman smiled. _Netto-kun would say that's just all part of skill._

But outside of battling, what was there? Food, of course, was one of Netto's prime interests. That was something Rockman could not share with his operator, at least not directly. A few weeks ago, Yaito had presented Netto with a dubious gift: a program that cooked virtual curry. With no small amount of trepidation, Rockman partook of "humanity's dream" and "object of admiration." He spooned the mixture of rice and spice into his mouth, and…

"How is it? Tell me, Rockman!"

"It's…tasty, Netto-kun."

"Tasty? That's all you can say? Curry is not just 'tasty,' Rockman! Curry is…curry is—"

"Your favorite food."

"Because it's delicious! Because it's heavenly. It makes my mouth water…"

"Netto!" Meiru said. "If you're not careful, you'll drool on Rockman."

Netto took umbrage at this remark, noting that his salivary glands were in perfect working order.

Then Meiru wiped the screen with Netto's sleeve.

Those moments typified Netto and Meiru's friendship. Count on Sakurai Meiru to let Netto (and the rest of the Eastern world) know when he's done something silly.

Like accuse his own navi of being Echo.

"I'm so sorry, Rockman," Netto had said. "I don't know—"

"Don't worry about it," said the navi. "It was a stressful experience for everyone."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being level-headed. You always point me in the right direction."

Some people might say that's what a navi is for, but far be it for Netto to let purpose get in the way of his gratitude.

_I'm not always that level-headed, though._

"I let her go, and this happened. Now you let her go, and who knows what will happen."

Rockman bowed his head.

"We're here, and who knows how long we'll be here," Roll'd said. "If I hadn't fixed the plug-out controls, Echo would be trapped in Internet City or deleted or something else. She wouldn't be a threat anymore."

_It was silly; I blamed myself for what happened in Internet City, but that was me and me alone. I didn't need to make her think that everything that came next was her fault._

But that wasn't worst part.

"But Roll-san, if you hadn't fixed the plug-out controls, Echo would've deleted Rockman-san," Imi'd said.

"I know! I know; I know! I look at him, and I see her! Everything would be normal if she were dead—if _he_ were dead! But if he were dead…if he were dead, I might as well be dead, too."

_What does that mean? I don't understand._

"I know you don't," Roll said, "but you don't have to."

_But I want to._

None of that was anything new, though. Roll was always a little peculiar. Not in a bizarre way, but there were…moments. Like when she took up Fireman's challenge to him all by herself (though propelling Gutsman on the heels of an Aqua Tower was, if not insane, exceedingly clever). Or when he saved Aquaman from a darkloid in Internet City, and the water navi clung to him for the rest of the day. Roll spent hours trying to separate the two, but Aquaman's grip held firm. At last, with a sly glint in her eye, she wrapped her arms around the pair and declared, _"Watashi mo hanarenai!"_ "I won't let go of him either!" Considering that a crazed, dark-chip-addicted Burnerman was already irritated—that their "fair, one-on-one match" had turned into a hug-fest—her timing was…less than stellar.

And let's not even get started on Medi. That was enough to turn Rockman away from all forms of tug-of-war for the near, far, and distant futures.

But for all her moments, Roll was a capable navi…and a friend—Rockman's closest friend outside of Netto. Blues always walked the line between distant rival and staunch ally, and Searchman probably conditioned himself against such notions. Iceman and Aquaman had their own hydrophilic group (with Bubbleman, of all navis), and Tomahawkman and Gutsman spent most of their time at Maha Ichiban. Of all the navis Rockman met and called friends, through many years and evils, Roll was the only one who was always there, by his side (or, more precisely, stuck to his arm).

_Thank goodness she wasn't Echo. If Echo ever hurt her, if Echo ever touched her…_

But Echo was gone, right?

"_No, Yukawa, please wait! I AM NOT ECH—"_

_TING!_

Shattered, lifeless.

Misaki, as R Prisman, had shown Rockman the horror of such a fate. Under Dark Blues's command, Misaki battled Netto, fueled by the corrupting force of the Dark Synchro Chip. His desire to cross fuse (and failure to do so in the first tests) locked them all in conflict. Netto and Misaki charged each other: Netto's Long Sword ripped into R Prisman's symbol while Misaki's lance grazed R Rockman's. Both fell out of cross fusion, and Netto recovered a damaged, shorting PET. Each spark zapped Rockman's data, and it was only through the hard work of his father and his colleagues that he survived.

But it was no less a horror, to face deletion from a foe that cannot be countered. For all their power in the cyberworld, navis were still at the mercy of the real one, of the elements themselves: of fire, water, wind, rain…

…and time.

_Time…what time is it?_

19:25.

_Oh no, this is…_ "NETTO-KUN, WAKE UP! YOU'RE LATE FOR THE PARTY!"

—

Roller blades skidded on the route to the Ayanokouji mansion. His fellow partygoers scampered from his path. Netto dug his heels into the cobblestone drive, and the brakes on his skates squealed and burned. At the base of the steps, he dismantled the skate attachments and hopped inside.

No banquet was safe from him now. Every food group was at his mercy. He chomped whole loaves of bread and slurped noodles from end to end. He inhaled rice grains and stripped meat from bone.

When all was said and done, Netto set a record for the 100-meter banquet run: the highest number of calories per unit time in history, an awesome 800 calories per minute for 10 minutes, enough to feed a grown man for four days!

And as if to emphasize his digestive fortitude, Netto had the bright idea of going to the pool.

Rockman scolded him for the thought. "Netto-kun! You'll get a cramp!"

But Netto peeked outside, just as Dingo served a scorching ace.

"Don't worry, Rockman; I won't get a cramp playing volleyball." A glint of red caught his eye. "Meiru-chan?"

Her gaze snapped forward. "Oh, Netto! _Konbanwa!_ When did you get here?"

"Just now. I was taking a nap, but Rockman forgot to wake me up on time."

"Ah, is that so."

He studied her outfit—the usual fare: black stockings, pink skirt, blue vest over a green long-sleeve shirt, and, of course, a heart on a yellow disc affixed itself on her hair above her right ear. Didn't she wear that a lot?

As if he could talk. "Aren't you going swimming?" he asked.

"No, not today."

"_Oi_, Netto!" cried Dekao. "Dingo's creaming us here! Help us out!"

"_Hai!_" he called back. "Meiru-chan—" But Meiru's gaze was on the pool house. "Meiru-chan?"

She blinked. "_Nani?_"

He handed her his PET. "Could you take care of Rockman for me?"

"Of course."

"Thanks!" With that, he skipped into the pool house, stuffed his clothes in a cubby, and jumped into the pool beside Dekao, Tohru, and the rest of their team.

"Well, at least now it's fair!" Dingo said, tucking the ball under his arm. "Can't blame your losing on being short-handed anymore!"

"Ha!" Netto said. "We'll see who loses!"

"We will!" Dingo tossed the ball high and smacked it over the net. Tohru lunged backward and bumped it to Dekao, who flicked it up in front of the net, and Netto leapt over the top and spiked it home.

"Okay," Dingo said, "_maybe_ this is a game."

The two sides dueled fiercely, with Netto and Dingo trading serves as their teams broke each other's rallies. As the match wore on, a crowd gathered around the pool, and the spectators cheered for their favored side. Naturally Dingo had a set of enthusiasts to back him (_Are they fans of his or fans of the headdress, I wonder…_), but Netto garnered some fans of his own.

To his surprise, they were mostly girls.

"_Gambatte yo,_ Netto!" soprano voices cried. "You can do it!"

But amidst the gaggle of girls, one was conspicuously absent. Indeed, rather than stand and cheer, she sat in the recliner, just as when he'd arrived, and glanced at the pool house.

Strange, wasn't it? Hadn't it been that every battle he faced, she would root for him from the sidelines? Even when no one else would, when he was the underdog?

Ball in hand, he lingered. Where was her voice? Her cries and cheers that carried over all others? Did someone take it from her?

He followed her gaze. There was no one by the pool house, but behind it—who was that? The man with the snow white hair, cut and cropped to sharp corners? Was he looking back at her?

"Netto, it's our serve."

Serve? Right, mustn't forget the serve.

The match degenerated into a shootout of aces; as Netto and Dingo ripped serves past their opponents, the match hinged on breaking the enemy's serve as fast as possible; if they could recover the serve, they could squeeze in a few points and, perhaps, lock in victory.

14-13. Dingo held the serve, and one point would catapult his team to victory. Toss, serve! Netto bumped it into play. Set, spike! Dekao knocked the ball between two defenders.

13-14, Netto's serve. Toss, serve, splash! The sopranos sang their praises for him; the crowd applauded his skill, but there was one more point to go.

14-14. Toss, serve! Bump, set, spike! Bump, set! Netto jumped up and wound his arm back. Dingo's defenders backed to the far end of the pool, bracing for the oncoming strike, and…

…tap!

With a flick of the wrist, the ball glided over the top of the net. The defenders dove to save it, but far too late they were, and the ball splashed and rolled in their wake.

"_Yatta!_" the crowd roared. "He did it!"

Atop the hands of his teammates, Netto rode in celebration of his victory, and his fans, the choir of sopranos, swarmed him with their locks of hair and glittery nails.

But he broke away from the pack, though they clawed and tugged at him so, for there was one voice he'd yet to hear. "Meiru-chan!" he called. "Meiru-chan!" He cut through the crowd and arrived at her lawn-chair.

Her empty lawn-chair.

"Meiru-chan…where did you go?"

**4**

"Imi-chan, I'm leaving."

The girl with the cone-shaped hat nodded. She clutched the headphones that stuck to her ears.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?"

Nod nod.

"I'll be going then."

Nod.

"Lock the door on your way out, okay? There's a key—"

"Below the register."

Sonicman frowned. "Yes…"

"Good night, Sonic-san."

"Good night." The bells on the door jingled as it shut. Sonicman stopped outside the front window and looked inward for a moment…and moved on.

"Gah!" Imi cast down the headphones and squeezed her skull between her heads. "Stop it; stop it! Please!"

Tick, tick, tick, tick.

"No, I—" Tick, tick, tick. "I don't know! I don't! Why are you still talking? Why can't you be quiet?"

Tick, tick.

"Papa…" Tick. "No! I can't! I can't go back to Papa; he doesn't—he won't—" Tick, tick. "But I—"

Tick, tick, tick.

"He told me never—"

Tick.

"What if—"

Tick, tick.

Imi shook her head. "Papa won't see me. He doesn't want me around; he doesn't want me to remind him of Masuyo-chan."

'_He will see you.'_

"No!" Her breaths hastened; her eyes snapped shut. "No more! Please!"

'_Shh, Imi. It's all right; I promise.'_

"Masuyo-chan?"

'_Sonicman is right. You should go back to Papa.'_

"But he won't—"

'_Papa made you. He will take care of you, like he took care of me for so long.'_

"Do you think so?"

'_I know so. Find Papa. He will make it all better.'_

Hands together, Imi bowed her head. "Papa…" Her body pixilated and vanished.

—

"Rockman? Rockman!"

"I'm here, Netto-kun. What's wrong?"

Netto breathed a sigh of relief. "It's Meiru-chan! She didn't tell me where she put you!"

"She told me she put the PET by your clothes."

"But she didn't tell _me_ that!"

"I'm sure she just forgot," Rockman said.

"Where is she now?" asked Netto. "Roll, do you know?"

Roll popped open a window to the real world. An A-minor chord resonated through the link. "She's playing piano."

"Where?"

"I…don't know. Do you want to talk to her?"

"No, I'll find her myself, thanks." Netto's window closed…

…and a six-sided die landed on 4. Skullman rolled from the blast, and twin arm bones pummeled Numberman, who logged out in mid-air.

"Skullman-san is fast," Imi said.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment of truth for this evening: Kuroi Miyuki and Skullman, the challengers, will face Ayanokouji Yaito-sama and Glyde for the championship cup!"

A burst of applause. "Glyde's going to have a hard time," Rockman said. "He doesn't battle very much."

"I think that depends on how many expensive chips they use," Roll said.

"That's true."

_Now this is how it should be._

Glyde materialized on the arena floor and bowed.

"Let the match begin!"

And Skullman vanished.

But Glyde stood confident and ready. Mini-bombs appeared in his hands, and he lobbed them in an arc around him. Smoke rose from the blasts, but still there was…nothing.

"I've seen that trick before!" Skullman descended from above and landed behind Glyde. Pivot, turn, kick! Glyde stumbled into the smoke.

"Demon Fire!"

_That could be a useful attack someday._

"You're having a good time, Imi-chan," Roll said.

"I am. I like watching battles."

"There's a lot to learn," Rockman said. "I've tried to convince Netto-kun to watch some videos before we go to tournaments."

"And?"

Rockman laughed. "He only does it after we lose. Then he doesn't stop watching them."

"That sounds like Netto-san all right," Imi said. "Rather like oversleeping, isn't it?"

"Well, that was my fault," Rockman said. "I got a little distracted."

"By what?" asked Roll.

"Stone Cube!" A tiled pattern of the cubes shook the floor, and Glyde crouched between a set of four, his cannon at the ready, for any moment now—

Pew! Perched atop one of the cubes, Skullman lost his footing as a yellow bolt buckled his knee; he tumbled into the crevice and crashed against a face. Glyde raised a Paladin Sword against him, but the blade sliced through solid stone. Skullman bounded over the cubes and disappeared within them.

"The Paladin Sword," Rockman said. "That was the first chip she copied."

_The first one you saw._

"Her death—does it make sense to you, Roll-chan?"

"It makes perfect sense to me, except for the part where Slateman's operator threw the PET against the wall."

_I'll admit it—I knew Yukawa would be creative, but that much I didn't expect._

"Echo always seemed to beat everything we could use against her," Rockman said. "I'm surprised it was that easy."

"Me too," Roll said. "She was so strange. She didn't want to delete me if she could help it."

_May it never come to that. But can we please stop talking about me while I'm still here?_

'_They don't know you're Echo, you know,'_ Rouletteman said. _'In my business, I'd call that an advantage.'_

_In my business, I tell voices like you to be quiet._

"Imi-chan? Something wrong?"

"Nothing!" Imi plastered a quick smile on her face. "Nothing at all, Roll-san!"

"It's all right," Roll said. "I don't like talking about Echo, either. We've done enough of that all night, don't you think?"

Imi nodded.

"In fact, I don't know if you heard this, but I was talking to Aquaman earlier: he said that Shuuko-san has a cousin who's probably old enough to have a PET now."

_Human + cousin who could get a PET soon = …_ "You mean—"

"I'm sure you don't want to stay with me and Meiru-chan forever. We'd love to have you, but—"

Imi shook her head. Her hands clenched in her lap. "No."

"No what?"

"No operator, not…not now."

'_You should try it, Imi,'_ Masuyo said.

_I can't give up on you yet! You and Papa—_

'_Your father abandoned you,' _Grove said. _'Don't you remember? You tried to find him again…'_

—

"Papa? Papa!"

On a mahogany desk, a lonely PET projected Imi's image into the night.

"Papa, where are you?" Imi's eyes darted from empty bed to dark hallway. "Papa, please! Please help me, Papa!"

The hologram flickered and wiggled.

"Papa! I can't stay much longer, Papa!" Her voice warbled and slowed, like a film running on the last frames, but Imi had one more thing to say before she abandoned the dying PET.

"Don't you love me, Papa?"

And Masuyo's room was black again.

—

'…_but he wasn't there. He was gone. Remember?'_

_You don't need to remind me! I remember!_

"I'm sure Shuuko-san's relatives are nice," Roll assured her. "I mean, not too nice; after all, Shuuko-san still lives alone with her brothers, but—"

'_I bet her father abandoned her, too,'_ Rouletteman said. _'When she visits on weekends, you can comfort each other and share your sob stories over cookies and milk!"_

"—they're all very kind, if a bit odd sometimes."

"You might have to be careful if Aquaman stops by," Rockman said. "If he cries, he can flood a couple blocks."

'_How would that be for a handy power?'_ Grove said.

'_I think this is a great idea, Echo!'_ Rouletteman said._ 'After all, if you're not hanging around Mr. and Mrs. Goody-Two-Shoes here, you might see they're not so nice a crowd after all. You might even think of touching them and finding out.'_

_No._

'_Go on, her hand's right there. Look!'_

Roll's hand crawled over the armrest. She leaned over the seat, studying Imi's expression.

'_She might just be trying to get rid of you,'_ Grove said. _'Dump you off on someone else, so you won't be her problem anymore.'_

_No!_

'_Like your father!'_ Rouletteman said. _'It always comes back to him, yes? Admit it, Echo—he dumped you. He crumpled you up and tossed you in the rubbage bin. Your love was meaningless to him!'_

"No!" said Imi. "NO NO NO! IT WASN'T; IT WASN'T!"

A whisper spread through the crowd. On the stage, the two competitors halted their attacks: Glyde lowered his cannon, and Skullman's bones boomeranged back to him.

And Imi balled up in her seat and sobbed into her skirt.

"Don't touch me!" Though sniffles and snorts and squeals of agony, she muttered those three words over and over, like they were a magic shell to protect her. "Whatever you do, don't touch me."

**5**

One-and-a two-and-a three-and-a four-and-a five-and-a six-and-a sev-and-a eight. Ba-dah ba-dah ba-dah-ba dah-ba-dah ba-dah ba-dah.

The notes of the A-minor scale reverberated in the walls and the floor of the ballroom.

_It's not a bad room. It's not too live or too dead; I can hear just enough…_

Enough to bang a chord and savor it if it's right…or spit it out if it's wrong.

And there were plenty of chords to spit out tonight. Why on earth did she ever choose A-minor? A terrible scale to play, to be sure. All white keys…so unnatural. The keys don't fit the fingers right.

Or do the fingers not fit the keys right?

_I should've picked something different. G-minor or C-minor or something. A couple black keys would make this play and feel a lot better._

But Meiru, stubborn as always, stuck doggedly to the key she started in. This was not some long-dead composer's work that she could transpose at will if she _really_ wanted to.

This was her piece.

It was hers and no one else's; no one could take that away from her. She would topple the walls of Yaito's house if she must, for in music, there's the power to feel—to smile or cry, weep or sigh…

And the power to forget.

Everyone else forgot. They put it all behind them. That's what Netto does.

_Beat the bad guy, and go home happy and free. Play volleyball in a pool; eat to your heart's content._

For a moment, he showed the capacity for more.

"_I gave her the power, Meiru-chan. I gave her the power to kill."_

In those short seconds, there _was_ something more. There was responsibility and guilt and remorse. It frightened her.

_Because I liked it. I comforted him. He needed me, and I was there._

Granted, Netto's usual confidence had rescued her from the depths of despair no small number of times, but what is confidence if there is never doubt? Sure, he doubted himself, but trivially, and if he did, he'd grit his teeth and push through whatever obstacle lay in his path.

_But some obstacles lie within, not without._

Echo had been one such obstacle. His rash use of Greiga and Falzer's Beast Out modes handed Echo more power than she could have ever imagined, but he overcame this mistake with Echo's death. Perhaps it was enough that he figured out she hid among them, but still…he shouldn't forget. He should never forget that lesson, but Netto, being Netto, probably would.

_I can forget too, though, with music._

And forgetting is a loop, a loop without end. That's what her piece was—a cycle of connected melodies. Not finished yet, but enough…for now. Enough to end it.

Ba-dum ba-dum ba-dah! Ba-dum ba-dum ba-dah! Ba-dum ba-dum ba-dum-ba dum-ba-dum-ba-dah! Ba-dum ba-dum ba-dah…dum-dum-dah…bum!

C-B-C-D-B-E! C-B-C-D-B-E! C-B-C-D-C-B-A -B-C-A-C-B! B-B-C-A-E-D…E-F…E…A…

And that's all it is. What better note to forget with than a low A…

"It's beautiful, Meiru-chan."

Cringe! A seventh chord rang out from her fingers; she buried them in her lap, far, _far_ away from the keys.

"It's beautiful," Netto said, "but also a little sad."

Meiru relaxed. "It fits."

"It fits…what?"

Perhaps it was better that he'd forgotten. His slowness could soothe her spirit as much as it could inflame it. "Nothing," Meiru said with a smile. "Nothing."

"Who wrote it?"

She snickered. "Like you would know the difference."

"I'm just asking a question!"

Her mirth fizzled out. Perhaps this wasn't the Netto she knew after all.

"Tell me next time when you leave Rockman somewhere," he said, trudging back the way he came through the ballroom. "Okay?"

"Okay…"

He yanked on the door; the hinges creaked—

Meiru sped for the door. "Netto!"

She stopped before him, and her fingers locked together and twined and twisted.

"I wrote it," she said.

The door shut. "Show me."

—

Not all piano benches are made for two, but Netto and Meiru squeezed together as best they could. Of course, the closest thing to a musical instrument Netto knew was his own off-key voice. After a failed experiment with chords, he and Meiru switched places, and she gave him the melody. They wouldn't be able to do anything complex that way (not much more than the first eight measures, really), but that was fine. They made music together, and that was enough for her.

But not for him. "Are there words?" asked Netto.

"Lyrics?"

"Yeah."

"I—I haven't—"

"How hard can it be? You already have the music."

_Says the boy who didn't know what an octave was five minutes ago._ "I guess I could try…"

"I'm sure it'll be great."

"I don't sing very well…"

"Just try it."

"Okay. Go ahead and start; I'll think of something."

As Netto repeated the opening bars, Meiru shut her eyes. _What can I sing about in front of Netto? This was a terrible idea! I can't…I can't say those words!_

"Come on, Meiru-chan! Just forget that I'm here."

_Forget…can I forget?_

—

"_If you know pain or sorrow, sing this song, and you'll forget._

"_I sing it now, my darling; this is my own death lament."_

/

"_I've lived a hundred decades waiting for my love to show._

"_He brings with him a petaled rose from foreign garden row!_

"_I sit with tranquil shore-birds, and wade in tidal flow._

"_He'll sail in this day, I'm sure, for I have no place else to go."_

/

"_If you know pain or sorrow, sing this song, and you'll forget._

"_I sing it now, my darling; this is my own death lament."_

/

"_The news from distant seas is war among the pirate-folk._

"_My love has fought them many times amidst the great white smoke!_

"_They cut with sabers rattling and shoot with cannon bough!_

"_But my love—he'll make them sing for their creator and the doe!"_

/

"_If you know pain or sorrow, sing this song, and you'll forget._

"_I sing it now, my darling; this is my own death lament."_

/

"_My lover's ship has come in, battered and with broken bow._

"_The captain, once an ensign, stands aboard and salutes so!_

"_He says my love has fallen but died a sea hero!_

"_I tell him comfort me not, for my grief he can never know."_

/

"_If you know pain or sorrow, sing this song, and you'll forget._

"_I sing it now, my darling; this is my own death lament."_

/

"_I stood on lover's grave and wept a thousand tears ago._

"_My father he did bid me come back home and find a beau!_

"_I told him my love would live and not forsake me so._

"_But my heart sinks so heavy; I choose to forget all I know."_

/

"_If you know pain or sorrow, sing this song, and you'll forget._

"_I sing it now, my darling; this is my own death lament."_

—

"Netto-kun!"

Netto's fingers stumbled off the keys, and Meiru exhaled. "What is it, Rockman?"

"Glyde told me there's cake in the banquet hall." He flinched. "Ah, I'm sorry! Was I interrupting?"

Meiru clenched her fist. _I never thought Rockman, of all people, would be one to kill a moment._ She sighed. _But he did save me from making a fool of myself singing._

"Come on, Meiru-chan!" Netto said. "Can't miss cake!"

_Back to normal. Always back to normal._ "I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay!" With that, he scampered out the door, but Meiru stayed behind and played a few more bars. "If you know pain or sorrow, sing this song, and you'll forget. I sing it now, my darling; this is my own death lament."

"I wish it were that easy."

"Ahh!" Meiru jumped off the bench. The white-haired man strolled to the piano. "It's very good," he said. "You have much talent."

"Who are you? Why did you stare at me?"

He tapped the keys. "I wasn't staring at you. As for who I am…I'm just a fan, a fan of music." He knocked on the frame and walked away. "Be safe now."

Meiru shook her head. "Strange man." She slid the piano stool under the baby grand. "Roll, are you still with Rock—"

Blink-blink, blink-blink. The PET…wasn't it on the piano? That's where it usually was, right? Can't play piano with a PET strapped to your arm, after all. But where…

Hurried footsteps echoed through the ballroom, and the double doors slammed shut.

_He stole her. He stole Roll!_

**6**

"Welcome," Sonicman said. "The Treble Clef—"

The pick-handed navi dug his point into the counter. "Do you have…" His eyes shifted about. "Do you have…reggae?"

"Middle aisle, about halfway down," Sonicman said.

"Thank you. Come along, Plasticman, Helmetman." Pickman and his posse paraded down the center aisle, but a girl in a white skirt blocked their path. "Excuse me," Pickman said.

Ocean waves flooded through her headphones.

"Excuse me!" Pickman said. "I'm trying to get through here!"

No reaction.

Pickman threaded his point between the headphones and her face. He yanked, exposing her ear. "That means take _off_ the headphones and listen to me!"

"That's uncalled for!" Sonicman pulled on Pickman's arm, and the headphones slid off the pick tip. "She's just a girl."

"Young or old, a navi's a navi," Pickman said. "And I don't tolerate dumb navis."

"How do you tolerate yourself?"

"What's this? Why I—"

"Let's take it outside then," Sonicman said.

The four poured into the street—a 3-on-1 standoff.

"I did nothing wrong!" Pickman said. "She was in our way; I asked her to move, and she didn't."

"Imi-chan is a personal friend of mine," Sonicman said. "I won't tolerate anyone mistreating her."

"Oh, so personal friends get free music? Seems that way; I don't see her paying to listen all day."

"By all rights, you should feel lucky I don't ask you to fix the dent you poked in my counter."

Pickman waved his arms. "What else am I supposed to do? Everyone else gets to rest their arms on the counter. Me, I have to stick it to you; sorry."

Sonicman rolled his eyes. "Just…get out of here."

"I want to buy something!"

"Then for once, I'm happy I have competition," Sonicman said. "You can go annoy them instead of me."

Pickman scowled. "I won't be insulted like this! Whirling Pick!"

"Mach Burst!"

Sonicman's chest pounded a compression wave into the air. The front toppled Pickman, Plasticman, and Helmetman. They scampered to their feet and ran.

"Punks," Sonicman said.

Crash! Tink, tink. Crash! Inside the store, shelves of music splintered and collapsed. Ripples of air and space leapt from Im's fingertips and trashed the interior of the store.

"What on earth…"

—

"Let me go!"

The white-haired man tucked Meiru's PET under his arm as he scurried through the mansion, but Roll was insistent. "Return me to Meiru-chan at once," she said, "and she _might_ forgive you for this!"

"I'm not after you!" said the man. "Where's Imi?"

The young navi shuddered.

"Imi-chan?" asked Roll. "Do you know this man?"

"It's…Sakae-kun."

"Don't you call me that!" said Murata Sakae. "Only Sonicman called me that!"

"You knew Sonicman?" said Roll.

"Knew him!" Sakae said. "Two weeks we let her stay in our store! Sonicman would've done anything for her. You knew that, didn't you, Imi?"

"I don't know what you—"

"Sonicman told me Pickman and his thugs trashed the store, but it wasn't them, was it? It was you! You did it, and Sonicman covered for you!"

"No!" Imi quavered. "That's not true. That's not true at all!"

"It is, isn't it?" Sakae said. "He blamed them for it instead of you, and that pissed them off right well and good, didn't it? That's why they came back—because Sonicman _lied_ to protect you."

"Sonic-san never lied!" Imi said. "Never!"

"Murata-san," Roll intervened, "I know it must be hard to lose your navi, but—"

"Imi! He protected you, and that got him killed, do you realize that?"

"No!"

"You're hurting Imi-chan!" Roll said. "Stop this!"

"You might as well have killed him yourself!"

"I DIDN'T KILL HIM! I DIDN'T KILL HIM!"

"You did. I _know_ you did!"

—

Imi dropped to her knees, her hair frazzled, her clothes coated in a film of dust. Broken data fogged the air in a blue hue.

"Imi-chan," Sonicman said, "what happened?"

"You're going to hurt me," she said. "He said it, he saw it, and I believed him."

"Who said that? Pickman?" Sonicman knelt beside her. "That navi just doesn't know how to be nice."

"You're not so nice, either."

"What makes you say that?"

"Imi-chan…" He rubbed her shoulder. "If I've ever done anything to make you think I'd hurt you—"

Her arm tensed. In his grip, her shoulder hardened, like stone. "No…" she muttered. "No!"

KA-PAM! The shockwave tossed him against the wall.

"NO NO NO!" Burst after burst slammed him, crunched his body.

"Imi-chan, please!"

"BE QUIET!" PAM! A light spray of lost data clouded his sight. Seams and cuts on his arms opened the floodgates for the rest of his data to seep through.

"Imi-chan!"

She hurled more waves at him, frantic, crazed. She grunted, and he groaned. "Imi-chan…"

PAM! PAM! PAM! PAM! PAM! She panted and heaved. Her Mach Bursts carved a hole on the wall, and daylight crept inside.

But where was Sonicman?

She cupped her hands over her ears and closed her eyes.

And she cracked a smile. She laughed and wept and breathed easy.

Her eyes opened. She'd gutted the store, ravaged the property, but that was not all she destroyed.

"Sonic-san? Sonic-san!"

She paced and trembled and heaved. She ruffled her hair and pulled on the ends.

And she stopped. She picked up a shard of glass and eyed her own reflection off the scuffed surface. A round face, crimson eyes, and twin arcs jade green hair.

They would have to go away.

She shut her eyes again. Her legs thickened and armored. Her chest grew two rectangular speakers. White turned to black, and she studied her new reflection: small speakers for cheeks, dials for eyes, a subwoofer for hair.

She dangled a black finger in the air and traced a diagonal line. A window popped open under it.

"What is it, Sonicman?" asked Murata Sakae. "What happened?"

"Some ruffians wrecked the store today," Imi said. "I only barely managed to drive them off. Their names were Pickman, Plasticman, and Helmetman."

"What happened to Imi?"

"Imi-chan fled during the fight. I haven't seen her since."

—

"You asked him to cover for you," Sakae said, "and you ran in case anyone tried to come after you. Isn't that so?"

"I think this is so!" A pink, spiked heel clubbed Sakae's shin. He stumbled and cradled the throbbing bruise. As suits and sunglasses surrounded Sakae, Ayanokouji Yaito wagged her finger at him. "Nobody steals from my friends and gets away with it!"

"Roll!"

"Meiru-chan!"

The radiant redhead clutched the pilfered PET and pressed it against her chest. "I'm so glad you're all right."

"Thank you for finding me, Meiru-chan," Roll said.

"Take him away!" Yaito said. "Call the police; I'm sure they'll love this." She pointed at Sakae. "And you! You'll never get an invitation to one of my parties again!"

Imi sat in a daze beside Roll. Clearly what Sakae had said struck a chord…

_And there are a lot of mysteries about Imi-chan._

"I just want the truth!" Sakae said. "Admit it, Imi! Admit it!"

"Wait!"

The suits, Yaito, Meiru, and Imi looked at Roll's shimmering form as she hovered over Meiru's shoulder.

"Don't call the police," Roll said. "Meiru-chan wants to talk to him."

"I _what_?"

**7**

As Yaito's bodyguards wheeled Sakae into a parlor and lowered him onto a couch, Meiru questioned her navi's judgment. "What do you think he has to say?"

"It's about Imi-chan," Roll said. "He knew her. Sonicman knew her."

"So?"

"We never knew why she was there when Echo appeared, or what happened to Imi-chan to make her not want anyone to touch her. And you remember what I told you about Grove?"

"Grove touched Imi, and she acted strange."

"Not strange!" Roll said. "She knew things. I think they were things from Imi-chan's past."

"She doesn't touch people because then they will know about her?"

Roll shrugged. "She made a scene during Glyde and Skullman's battle. I'm worried she might start acting worse. I want to find out as much as we can."

Meiru nodded. She stepped inside the parlor and closed the door behind her.

"Nice heels your friend has there," Sakae said, rubbing his wound. "My wife has a pair like them; probably just as expensive, too."

"How do you know Imi-chan?" asked Roll.

"Sonicman found her on the street," Sakae said. "We took her in, did everything we could. She betrayed that trust."

"Is that all?" Meiru said. "How did you find me? How did you know Roll and I had her?"

"We kept track of everyone who came to the store. Where they came from, where they go. Granted, Sonicman was a lot better at reading the data than I was, but it was very clear: Imi was there when Pickman and his goons attacked, and I knew she left with someone—with you."

"This data—where is it?" asked Roll.

"Under the store, untouched by the battle."

—

"Stay here, Imi-chan. We'll just be a little while."

As Netto chomped on ice cream cake ("Strawberry," he mused, "I should have known."), Imi and Rockman sat beside the plate.

_First all this talk of Echo, then a new operator, and now Sakae's back…_

'_Just think of all the secrets he could spill!'_ Rouletteman said.

_He knows nothing._

'_He knew you killed Sonicman,'_ Grove said.

_He didn't! He guessed. It was figurative, not literal._

'_You could have confessed,'_ Masuyo said.

'_And end up like Slateman,'_ Rouletteman said. _'In bits and pieces all over the floor.'_

'_You should tread carefully, Echo,'_ Grove said. _'If Murata-san believes you left Sonicman weeks before Pickman attacked, then…what _were_ you doing at the Treble Clef?'_

_What's your point?_

'_Roll will ask the same question, won't she?'_ Rouletteman said. _'And I doubt you'll be able to bluff your way through it.'_

'_There could very well be other holes in your story as well,'_ Grove said. _'Think about it.'_

Dodging crumbs of cake, Imi paced around the rim of the plate. _There are too many lies. I can't keep track of them all._ Stop. _I have to see what they learned. Then…then maybe I can do something._ "Rockman-san?"

"What is it?"

"Is it all right if I go for a walk?"

"Just don't bother Roll-chan, if you can."

"I won't; I promise."

—

As Sakae pulled up his pant leg to check the damage, Meiru left the room.

"We have to go there, Meiru-chan," Roll said. "We could find out a lot."

"Go for it."

"Eh!" With that, Roll vanished, on her way to Internet City.

And Meiru simpered. "Oh Roll, I think sometimes you take this motherly navi thing too far."

"She does?"

On Meiru's PET screen, a blue navi scratched his helmet.

"Rockman!" Meiru said. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for Roll-chan. Where did she go?"

"To Internet City, the Treble Clef."

"Why?"

"Murata-san told us there might be some data about Imi there. Oh, how is Imi anyway? Is she suspicious?"

"When I left her with Netto-kun, she seemed fine."

"Ah, that's good. I know she's a little strange, but Roll bends over backwards to help her out, doesn't she?"

"Roll-chan is very sweet that way."

"You should tell her that yourself," Meiru said. "She'd like that. Why don't you drop by the store and help her?"

"I should really get back to Netto-kun and keep an eye on Imi-chan."

"Tell him not to eat too much cake, Rockman. I'm counting on you."

"I will." As he vanished, though, his expression turned stern. It was that hard, fearful look that reappeared outside the Treble Clef, plastered on a young girl's face.

_Data? About me?_

Imi crouched behind the corner. Inside the ruins of the music store, Roll knelt beside a hollow blue sphere, and her antennae probed its contents.

A window popped open next to her. "What have you found, Roll?" asked Meiru.

"Not much yet," Roll said. "Murata-san wasn't kidding; data about everyone who ever walked into the store is here. When they came, when they left, what music they browsed while they were here." A stream of characters flowed down her antennae. "Ah, here's something! Yes, yes, it's Imi-chan. It's the first time she entered the store. She listened to 'Amazon Breeze'…" Roll blinked. "She listened to it all day."

Imi's eyes widened, and she fell back against the building. _All that data, still intact? How much else is there? Can she…can she find out I was impersonating Sonicman? That I'm—_

"And she left that the store that evening, after Sonicman left, and…" The incoming data transfixed Roll. "Oh! She went back to a PET, Meiru-chan! She must've gone back to her operator!"

_Masuyo-chan! Oh no, they found out about Masuyo-chan! That means they could find Papa!_

"But she came back," Roll said. "How strange."

"Didn't she say she didn't have an operator?" Meiru said.

"I don't know why she would lie about that," Roll said. "I have the address of that PET, though; we can find it later. Let me see what else is here…"

'_You need to stop her, Echo,'_ Grove said_, 'before she finds out too much.'_

_But it's—_

'_Do you think if she finds out you're Echo she'll show you any mercy?'_ asked Rouletteman.

_I showed it to her._

'_She'll still come after you,'_ Grove said. _'Your life with them will be over.'_

'_You must trust Roll, Imi,'_ Masuyo said. _'Papa would not want you to do these things.'_

_Papa left me, Masuyo-chan. He abandoned me. He told me to go away. He told me I was broken, and I _am_. As long as I hear Grove and Rouletteman—and maybe even you—I'm still broken. I'm not the way I was supposed to be. Papa might not want me to do these things, to hurt navis, to delete them, but I'm not the way Papa meant me to be! I'm different._

'_Imi…'_

_And I have to protect myself. I didn't protect myself once, and it sent me down this path…_

—

"Did you find anything, Rockman?"

The pink navi lugged a stack of albums along while the blue one fumbled with a single song.

In the center aisle, a glorified eggplant browsed the "Sounds of Nature" section. She eyed the cover of 'Amazon Breeze,' and Imi smiled.

"I like that one," she said. "It's very soothing."

"How much for it, Sonicman?" asked Grove.

"600 zenny," Imi said.

Grove raised her eyebrows. "I'm sure Egami-san will appreciate it."

In the back corner, Slateman juggled noise-canceling headphones. Rouletteman and Cardman browsed classical Ameropan while Mazeman stuck to modern, atonal cacophony—music so modern it refused to be called music, what with its rigid refusal to conform to conventions on pitch or harmony.

All in all, a good day. The best day Imi'd seen in the two weeks she'd served as Sonicman. Sakae would no doubt be pleased.

Thud! Roll's stack of files wobbled on the shelf. Dejected, she wrapped her arm around Rockman's, and the pair departed.

_At least buy something before you leave, will you?_

Imi shook off the thought. Was that Sonicman's influence? Or just a natural consequence of being in charge of a store, where your livelihood rides on sales?

_I can't forget Papa. I can't forget Papa or Masuyo-chan._

'_Don't worry, Imi. I'm here.'_

_How can I find him, Masuyo-chan? How can I find him if he's gone?_

'_I don't know.'_

Ding-a-ling!

"Welcome!" Imi said; the word came as a reflex to the door's chime.

And she regretted them when she saw who she'd greeted.

"Good afternoon, Sonicman," Pickman said. "Nice day for a little business, hmm?"

"What do you want?"

"I'm just here on a little fact-finding mission. You see, my friends and I are just out of the city jail."

"And?"

"The police informed me that we were implicated in vandalism of your store."

"And?"

"I heard you made a statement to that effect."

Imi coughed. How could she makes these goons go away without making a scene? "I did."

"And why would an upstanding citizen like you _lie_ about such a thing, hmm?"

"I did not lie."

"Oh, do you hear that, my friends? Sonicman doesn't seem to remember _kicking us out of his shop and blasting us with sonic waves!_ Isn't that funny?"

"You created an incident in my store that damaged many files," Imi said. "I reported it, and it was resolved."

"But that _didn't happen, _did it?" Pickman spiked the counter and glared at Sonicman. "You know what, I bet that little girl had something to do with it, didn't she? Maybe I should find her and see what she has to say."

"Imi-chan is gone."

"Is that right? Well fine! Why did you frame us? I want to know!"

"I'm tired of this. Get out of my store!"

Pickman pulled his pick from the counter. "You're tired of us?" He chuckled. "_You're_ tired of _us_? Well, let me tell you something, then. I'm tired, too."

Ding-a-ling!

"I'm tired of your lies!"

Shink! Imi stuttered and choked. The point of the pick impaled her body and pushed though on the other side.

'_What? What is this? What have you done to me? Answer me!'_

_No! Not again!_

"This store will burn!"

—

"Meiru-chan, it's Pickman!"

"Pickman?" Meiru said. "Are you that far already?"

"No, it's before then. Imi-chan—she met Pickman and the others, but they left suddenly."

Imi stepped out of the shadows.

And grew.

"What else is there?" asked Meiru.

"It's her and Sonicman," Roll said, "but Sonicman—"

"Is dead."

In the remains of the doorway, the white navi towered over Roll.

"Echo!" Roll yelped. "You're—you're—"

"Alive."

Meiru gaped. "It wasn't Slateman. It wasn't Slateman after all…"

"Give me the data," Echo said. "Give me the data, and I will not harm you."

Roll scrambled to her feet, but she clutched the data sphere. "No! I won't give it to you. This is for Imi-chan!"

"Roll, don't be crazy!" Meiru said. "You can't stand up to Echo!"

"Find Rockman!" Roll said. "He can protect me while I finish processing the data!"

_Why do you have to be so clever._ "Then you give me no choice," Echo said. "Mach Burst!"

The wave yanked and tugged on her body, but Roll hugged the data sphere and curled into a ball. She tumbled along the wavefront and banged against the back wall.

_I'm sorry. I thought I could let you rest, but…_ "Pocket Aces! Flame Tower!"

The tower caught the flying cards; they splintered and peppered the store with debris. Roll dashed out the back door, into the alley…

…where earthen tendrils wrapped and bound her.

"Give me the data," Echo said, "and you can go. I promise."

"Why do you want it?" Roll demanded. "Why do you want to know about Imi-chan?"

"Give it to me!" Echo said. "Do it!"

"No!"

Echo snarled. _Rockman will be here any second. I can't delay any longer._

'_She is your friend, Imi.'_

_And my enemy, for this one moment._ Her right hand glowed and morphed. A thick, blue, cylindrical shape emerged, with black knobs in a circle and lighter, segmented section above it. The mouth itself was solid black.

"A Spread Gun?" cried Roll. "That means—"

'_You shouldn't.'_

_But I will. I decided that long ago._ A second Spread Gun enveloped her left hand. "Give up the data!" Echo said. "You know what's coming."

"Rockman will be here," Roll said. "Rockman will save me."

_Rockman can't be everywhere._ She raised the twin Spread Guns over her head. They merged together, into a single spoked wheel with a notched barrel.

_I'll do it because this is what I chose to be. Not what Papa made me to be, but something I can call my own. Something that is me._

—

'_What? What is this? What have you done to me? Answer me!'_

"Hold his feet!" Grove commanded, and Cardman wrapped a pair of hearts around Imi's ankles. Her vines slid into the wound.

'_To think I meant to help you!'_

'_You did this! You're responsible for this! I should let you die!'_

"Dig out the wound! We need to get all the damaged data out of him before he can heal!"

Mazeman poured the junk data onto the floor. _'My, you're a nice surprise, aren't you!'_

"Hold the airway open!"

Rouletteman steadied her head and pushed on the back of her neck. _'This is insanity! We shouldn't be helping you! You're a plain monster; that's what you are!'_

"You should leave him be!" Slateman pried the cards off Imi's legs. "He's already gone!" _'You should die! You should die!'_

"We can save him," Grove said. "I'm sure of it."

_Should you…save me? I can't live with these voices; they're too many, so many…_

'_Yes, yes, let us rest! We don't want to stay here!'_

'_No, Imi, fight! Fight!'_

_I can't, Masuyo-chan. It's too much. It's too much!_ The ceiling faded, and sounds warbled.

"What are you doing? …he doesn't deserve to live!"

_I don't deserve to live. That's what Papa meant. He just couldn't do it himself._

Fading, fading. Like a bubble shrank around her and would collapse to nothing…

And the crowd of her mind cheered every moment of it.

'_Do you think Papa meant for you to die like this? No! Papa didn't mean for me to die; he never meant for anything like that to happen.'_

Boom. A scream, faint, soft. Is a scream of pain or joy? It's over a hill and through a bank, but it penetrated the bubble, muffled and muted.

"That'll teach you to attack Rockman!"

_What are you saying?_

'_You can't die like this, Imi! You were meant for something more; I'm sure of it!'_

_Something…more?_

"Homing helmet dive!"

'_No! Let her die; let us be!'_

'_She can't do this! She can't!'_

The bubble widened. The ceiling returned to view. Sounds, once damped, cleared and rung. Pew! Pew! Pink bolts of energy ricocheted off a missile, a dive helmet.

'_You're getting stronger. You can heal yourself.'_

Stronger, yes, but not strong enough. Not strong enough like this. Not as Sonicman or a little girl. _I need to be something more._

The homing helmet toppled a shelf of Choinan folk songs.

_Something that is like me, but…stronger! Tall and elegant and flowing, and powerful…immovable._ She sat up, bathed in golden light.

"Rockman…"

She rose, and her body, slender and long, swayed on her feet. _Not imitation anymore, but reflection. Not a copy, but a remnant of the original. A reverberation._

_An echo._

—

Hot blue light shone from the mouth of the barrel. "Hyper Burst!"

Pew! Pew! Buster shots ripped at Echo's side, but the blue beam chewed the pavement of the alleyway…

…and catapulted Roll over the tops of buildings. She hurtled over candy stores and tailors and tumbled end-over-end.

Her legs smashed against a corner of brick and mortar. She flipped and spun, and her helmet cracked the ground beneath it.

"Roll-chan!" Rockman dashed to her side, but he dare not move her. Pits and crevices of damaged data bled blue particles into the air. "Roll-chan!"

The sphere rolled from her arms. "Data…the data!"

Yellow Vulcan rounds incinerated the sphere. Echo towered over them as the Vulcan's barrel spun down.

"I wish…" she said. "I wish you'd just given me the data." She plugged out.

"Roll-chan, can you move?"

A puff of air sputtered through her lips.

"Roll-chan? Roll-chan!"

Her antennae, torn and tattered, flopped beside her.

"ROLL-CHAN!"


	8. Collage

**Chapter Seven: Collage**

There are many types of agony, of all manner and form. They vary in duration, in severity and stress, but invariably, all variations of agony are the same: they make men wish for release from the source…

…or for revenge against it.

And, often enough, for a combination of the two.

There are many types of agony, some easier to understand than others. There is the agony of anxiety, of unknown dread. This type affects the eyes—they rattle and bounce, whether they belong to binary eggplants or virtual casino games. The eyes move and search, for around any corner, within any customer, a white navi may reveal herself and skewer them on her blade.

Some may consider the agony of loss a profound ordeal, but worse yet is the agony of living, of the survivor who must recover from loss. This emotion compels work—nay, _demands_ it—until the task is done. It is an agony two men suffered together. They toiled in labcoats and scratched their heads, and when inspiration eluded them and endurance drained away, they peeled back a black curtain and gazed upon two bodies: a daughter and a son.

Yet by far the easiest pain to understand is that of the body. It stems from cuts of the flesh, whether they bleed water and heme or digits and scripts. This was the kind a pink navi suffered for one long night, a night in which she writhed and squirmed, itched and curled, and called out a name—one name—for all to hear.

"Rockman...Rockman!"

And his pain was the most difficult to bear, for as she sat behind glass, she beckoned him, reached for him. She thrashed and screamed, but he could not soothe her mind or subdue her body. He held his hand to the glass and shared her agony, for her anguish was his, and he would shoulder all he could…

…until she cried his name no more.

**1**

But where there is agony, there is often rage as well.

"_Roll-chan wo hidoimeniau awaseru nante! Yurusanai!"_

Words for another time, meant for another navi, for Flashman. Rockman's first encounter with Flashman had crippled him (in part due to Roll's interference), and Netto rushed him to his father's laboratory for repair. Flashman wouldn't go quietly, however. He attacked the Ministry of Science, overloaded the lights, and jeopardized Rockman's recovery. Meiru and Roll took their guilt for Rockman's injury to the battlefield. They dueled with Flashman, hoping to buy enough time for Rockman to return, but the Darkloid's Neon Lights proved too much for Roll. Tossed aside and flung to the stars, Roll collapsed, ripe for Flashman's tortures.

"Stop it!" Meiru said. "She can't even move!"

Flashman chuckled. "Then I'll just delete her!"

And Meiru screamed to the heavens; tears splashed from her face. "ROLL!"

Pew! Pew! Pew! Flashman shrunk back as buster bolts halted his attack.

"_Roll-chan wo hidoimeniau awaseru nante!"_ Rockman said._ "Yurusanai!"_

After all, Flashman had treated Roll badly, cruelly, and Rockman would never forgive him.

True to his word, Rockman leveled Flashman. Bamboo Sword in hand, he landed three vicious strikes—one for Meiru, one for Roll, and one for him and Netto—and brought the proud Darkloid to his knees…at least, for a while. Those words may have been meant for Flashman, but they would do well against Echo.

No, no…words were too kind for Echo at this point. Then as now, Roll's limp limbs, her muffled screams—they brewed a bubbling rage within him. His failure to save Cardman had instilled some anger, to be sure, but Echo was also mysterious then, her motives ill understood, and he foolishly hoped to dissuade her from this murder spree.

Many navis died in Internet City as Echo pursued Slateman, yet though he felt their loss and grieved over needless destruction, that too troubled him for mere moments. Slateman's own death gave him pause, but he was dead already, and Echo was gone.

But she wasn't. She tricked them. She tricked them all again attacked Roll.

And Rockman paced. As she lay in a glass tube, he slept on the casing, mere winks at a time, for rest of mind and body escaped him. He pressed his helmet against the wall, and a thousand little noises, her grunts and stifled moans, reverberated in his skull.

This crime was unforgivable, more so than all the others. It was illogical, irrational—she'd survived when others perished—but he cared not for reason, not enough to derail his fury. Echo would answer for this injustice, and he would see to it that she did.

Even still, he held his hands in front of him, and they shook like a dragonfly's wings.

_Why do I feel this way?_

The others—they hadn't reacted as he had. Meiru, tear-stricken, commanded Roll to fight. "Hang on, Roll! Just hang on! You're going to make it; you can do it! Hang on!"

Then she buried her face in Netto's shoulder.

And Rockman's companions at Roll's bedside—they were different too. Rush rubbed his paw on the glass. Sometimes he talked to her, in his cryptic "aup aup aup" language. Who knew if Roll could understand it in her condition? But Rush talked to her anyway and slept in a chair.

Like Imi. Imi peered into the chamber, shed a tear, but said nothing.

_They cry. Why don't I cry?_

He pressed his palm to the glass cylinder and closed his eyes.

"Rockman…"

He quivered and trembled and gritted his teeth. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all for her to suffer while he bore not a scratch. He should carry some of the burden, take it off her shoulders. If she yelled and hollered, so could he. If she beat and pounded on the glass (beat, beat), so could he.

And if she cried…

"Rockman!"

Eyes open! Dew hung on his eyelashes, and a single droplet splashed on his thigh.

And opposite his blue glove, a pink hand pushed against the glass, and her emerald eyes met his.

"Rockman."

"Roll-chan!"

For all her wounds, she beamed at him. "You're here," she said.

"I'm here," he said. "I've been here all night."

She blinked. "All night?"

"It's 20 'til 8," Rockman said. "Look."

Outside the lab, a boy in a blue bandana and a fiery redhead slumped in their chairs and slept under a velvety blanket.

"Meiru-chan!" Roll said. "Meiru-chan!"

The girl stirred and wiped her eyes. "Roll?" Her pupils focused. "Roll!" She leapt from the chair, knocking over the other, and Netto probably had his earliest wake-up call in four years.

"Roll, you're all right!" Meiru said. "You're all right, aren't you?"

"I still feel a little—" Bonk! Roll sat up and banged her helmet on the roof of the tube. She rubbed her head and shook off the dizziness. "I might like to sleep a while longer," she said.

"Take all the time you need," Meiru said.

"She still has some way to go." Eguchi Meijin examined some charts of Roll's progress. "But, I think you could take her home if you wanted, with some…provisions."

"Provisions?" Meiru said.

Meijin fumbled in his pockets, revealing a chip. "Hikari-hakase developed this chip: it will cut off all wireless access to the outside net and log out any intruders to your PET. It also contains an enhanced recovery program. If you want to stay safe from Echo, just keep Roll isolated from the net for a day or two while she heals."

Meiru examined the chip and turned it end over end. "Thank you, Meijin-san!" She latched onto the poor man like a magnet.

"Hey! _'—san' wa iranai yo!_" As he squirmed from Meiru's grip, Meijin produced two more chips and handed them to a drowsy Netto. "These two are for Rouletteman and Grove, in case they come under attack."

Netto blinked. "Huh?"

"Wake up, Netto-kun."

"Grove and Rouletteman!" Netto sprang to his feet. "I got it!" He turned the chips over and squinted. "You said Papa made these?"

"That's right."

"So this must be the secret project he's been working on…"

"Secret project?" Meijin echoed. "What secret project?"

In the chamber, Rockman stood over Roll's bed. "Are you sure you'll be all right?"

Roll nodded. "I'll be fine. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being here." She shimmered out, and Meiru recovered her PET.

"Come on, Roll," she said. "Let's go home."

**2**

'_You had a golden opportunity to kill her,'_ Grove said. _'Why did you resist?'_

_I never wanted to delete her._

"Netto-kun, look out!"

The skating champion swerved around a lamppost.

"I'm glad Roll-san survived Echo's attack," Imi said. "Aren't you, Rockman-san?"

Rockman nodded. "If Echo had deleted Roll-chan…"

"If Echo had deleted Roll-san…?"

"I would never forgive her. I _won't_ forgive her for hurting Roll-chan."

'_Seems to me like you hit a soft spot,'_ Rouletteman said.

_Rockman is a strange creature. He only fights in anger when others are at risk. This is why he fought me so hard when we had the beast battle in Internet City. It doesn't surprise me that Roll's injury would affect him this way…_

'_But?'_

She shrugged. _Up to now I thought he was oblivious to her._ It was a puzzling situation, to be sure. To whom had she dealt more damage—to Roll or to Rockman?

"Don't you think you're…" Yawn. "…overreacting a bit, Rockman?"

"I'm not overreacting!" Rockman said. "How would you feel if Echo hurt Meiru-chan?"

Netto flinched. "What?! Where did—" Lip, sidewalk, trip, skid. "Ow…where did that come from?"

_The lip in the sidewalk or Rockman's remark?_

"I'm sorry, Netto-kun!" Rockman said. "I…guess I am overreacting."

"No, no," Netto said, brushing the dust from his scrapes. " I can understand that." He skated off again. "But that's silly, you know."

"Silly?"

"As if Echo could come into the real world and hurt Meiru-chan."

"That's true."

'_If it served your interests, you'd do it, wouldn't you?'_ Rouletteman said.

_If it served, if I could._

'_You should be glad, Imi.'_

_Masuyo-chan?_

'_You should be glad you didn't take another life.'_

_I am. Believe me I am._

'_You should stop.'_

"Netto-kun, don't you think we should deliver those chips?"

The boy pulled his skates from his shoes and trudged inside the Hikari home. "I'm so tired, Rockman…"

"Yes, you were up with Meiru-san all night," Imi said.

"Not all night," Netto said. He halted. "Wait, what did you—"

"You should deliver those chips to Grove and Rouletteman," Rockman said. "It may be the only way to protect them from Echo."

"All right, all right," Netto said. "But I'm getting something to eat first!"

'_Looks like your window of opportunity is closing, Echo,'_ Rouletteman said. _'Might want to get out now while you still have some chips left to salvage.'_

_I'll get you both._ Netto rummaged through the cupboards; bottles of spice spilled and tumbled to the floor. _I'll just have to be quick._ "I'll be back soon, Rockman-san."

"Ah, Imi-chan, wait!"

But she was gone.

—

"So Netto should be there any second with the chip," Meiru said. "At least, if he isn't slacking."

"Should I plug Grove out now?" asked Egami. "I mean, if Echo has returned—"

"We can never know when she will attack," Grove said. "I can still be useful to the shop in the meantime."

Egami's face enveloped the screen. "But Grove—"

"I will manage. I will be vigilant."

"Still! If what happens to Roll happens to you—"

"We'll manage until Hikari-san arrives; I'm sure of it."

"Netto will be there soon," Meiru said. "He'd better be."

"Thank you so much for the warning, Meiru-chan," Egami said. "And I hope Roll will be all right!"

Meiru nodded, and the two screens around Grove's head closed.

"Serious business, this Echo," Woodman said. "Not a foe to be taken lightly."

"I agree." Grove tended the flowers of Saloma's virtual store in Internet City. It was a budding business, as navis had grown an interest in plant life rivaling that of humans. Grove pondered whether it was as meaningful, though—how much distinction was there between her, a program, and a virtual plant, also a program?

"Perhaps we must redefine what a living thing is in context of the virtual world," Saloma had said. "Something that lives modifies its environment. It grows and adapts. Factories can make artificial plants that look and smell like real ones, but in the end, they do not grow or blossom. They simply _are_."

Thus, the life in Saloma's digital nursery began as a seed and erupted from the earth as any other plant would. The buds demanded care and attention to bloom.

"And that is what separates a plant, a child of nature, from an inanimate _thing_," Saloma said.

For all her philosophy on the nature of "living things" in the cyberworld, Saloma's strategy had paid off in droves. Her store was all hustle and bustle these days.

And in bustle there is danger.

Though Grove was loathe to worry Egami over it, Echo's return troubled her as well. Any of these navis in the store could be her: the lady with the propane burners on her shoulders, the gentlemen with tennis rackets for hands…

And with one program advance—one _missed_ program advance—Echo had debilitated an experienced, battle-hardened navi.

_Well, _hardened_ may not be the right word._

Should Echo appear before Netto arrived—

Swish! The Samurai Sword sliced through a puff of petals. "Egami—ah!" She wiggled and tugged, but her own vines trapped her.

"Grove! I can't plug you out!"

"Woody Tower!"

The spires splinters and split; Echo persevered under the effects of Dream Aura.

"Rockman gave me a nice present to fight you two," Echo said. She closed her eyes. Her dress faded to gray, and flames erupted from her wrists and hair. The walls set ablaze, and the store heated up, a fiery deathtrap.

"Fire Arm!" The fires roasted the eggplant navi and seared her to perfection, but this chef could not consider the dish of retribution quite done yet. Mazes gutted the flower shop and trapped Grove in the bonfire.

"Battle Chip: Aqua Tower, slot-in!"

Water doused fire, and steam rose overhead.

"These flames won't go out so easily," Echo said. "Go!" She pounded both fists into the ground. Two columns of fire blended together and surged…

"Kanketsusen!"

The geyser swelled through the room. The maze crumbled, the navis swam with the wave, and Echo's Fire Soul garb eroded, leaving just her tattered white gown and a scarred, gushing face.

And in the doorway, sparse bubbles welled up in a blue navi's armor: his ankles, wrists, and skull bore a watery barrier, the signature trappings of his new form.

"Aqua Soul, huh?" Echo said. "Fair enough. Thunder Spike!"

The charge zapped Rockman; he fell to his knees, his soul unison broken.

"Battle Chip: Fumikomizan, slot-in!"

Echo braced herself with a Paladin Sword, and Rockman blurred out of sight.

"Where did you go?" Echo said. "Tell me!"

"Here!" Rockman slashed at air. His sword disappeared, and he cradled a singed Grove over his shoulder.

"You won't—"

"Battle Chip: Area Steal, slot-in!"

They warped to the doorway and dashed outside.

"Mach Burst!"

But Grove rippled and dissipated, and seven blue letters replaced her image.

Plug-out.

"She's gone, Echo!" Rockman said. "She's gone, and you'll never reach her! You won't hurt her again! You won't hurt Roll-chan again!"

Echo huffed. "You know where to find me." She dematerialized.

"Where will we find her?" asked Netto.

"The casino," Rockman said. "She's going after Rouletteman."

—

"Not to worry," Ikeda said. "Rouletteman and I are reeling in the customers as usual."

"I'll be right there," Netto said. "Echo's coming." The screen closed, and Rouletteman hovered above Ikeda's shoulder.

"Step right up!" Ikeda said. "Step right up! You could be a winner today!"

The patrons of the Victorian Hotel and Casino sipped their cocktails and yanked the levers of slot machines. The computers jingled and sparkled as they doled the payout.

"Kousuke-kun, don't you think we should take some precautions?" Rouletteman said. "I mean, this Echo—"

DING DING DING DING DING! A machine spat coins like a gatling gun and buried a poor gambler under a pile of cash.

DING DING DING DING DING! Coins littered the floor and multiplied like cockroaches. They clinked and clanked, and would-be saps of the house shoveled the winnings into their pockets, their coats, their nightly lingerie. The craps tables emptied, and the residents of the hotel swarmed the casino floor to snatch their take.

"No, wait, this is a mistake!" Ikeda crawled into the pile, but his own customers shoved him from the scrum. Disheveled and dizzy, the owner turned to his navi for help. "Do something, Rouletteman! This is a disaster!"

"This has to be Echo's doing," Rouletteman said. "I'm sure of it!"

"I don't care if it's the doings of the thunder god himself!" Ikeda said. "Find her and stop her!"

"But Kousuke-kun—"

"Plug-in, Rouletteman! Transmission!"

Rouletteman materialized amidst a graveyard of slot machine controllers. "What is this?"

"A trap." Echo choked him, lifted him off the ground by the neck. Her free hand morphed into a Long Sword.

"Gah!" Ikeda cried. "Um…Battle Chip: Iron Body, slot-in!"

The sword shattered against Rouletteman's metallic skin. Rouletteman slipped from Echo's grip, and the casino game plugged out.

"What were you doing, Kousuke-kun?" Rouletteman demanded, breathing easy in the safe confines of his PET. "I could have been deleted!"

"Since when does Echo bother with scrambling my slot machines?" Ikeda said.

"When it gets me your new access codes."

With Echo before him and empty space around him, Rouletteman panicked. "Roulette Wheel!" He cowered behind the wheel, but spires of stone gutted the frame and catapulted him into the air.

"Goodbye, Rouletteman." A Hyper Burst and Mugen Vulcan appeared on her arms. Blue light crept through the Burst's barrel, and the Vulcan spun up to speed…

"Not yet!" A flash of pink and blue leapt in her path. The salvo enveloped the figure whole, tore at his limbs, and raked his sides.

"Rockman…" Echo gaped at the sight; her arms fell to her side. "Why…why must you be a hero, Rockman? Why must you sacrifice yourself for these evil people?"

"I sacrificed nothing."

Poised to strike, Rockman pulled back on a pink bowstring. Indeed, his boots, his bracers, and helmet all bore this new color scheme. Tiered yellow plugs protected his knees and hands, and two pairs of antennae curved around his head.

"This is Roll-chan's power," Rockman said. "The power of the Roll Soul!" He released the arrow. It sped toward Echo; it grew and brightened with each meter passed. The blast swallowed Echo, incinerated her in magenta energy.

"We did it, Rockman!" Netto said. "We did it!"

But Echo emerged from the carnage unscathed, her dress pristine, her hair smooth and shining.

"And that is my power, Rockman," Echo said. "To copy whatever you use against me. Never forget that."

"Your power will not stop this."

Around Echo and Rockman, the world fragmented and disappeared. Rouletteman, gone. The floor, gone. The infinite sky of unknown cyber-realms, gone. Their environment dissolved and restructured itself around them. It solidified, and Rockman shed the trappings of the Roll Soul.

He was home again.

"You won't reach them now," Rockman said. "Never again."

"_Okaeri nasai_, Rockman-san."

Welcome home indeed. Imi lay face up, eyes open, her fingers intertwined.

"When did you get back, Imi-chan?"

"A while ago."

Rockman frowned. "Is that so?"

"It is so." Imi sat up. "It's always so."

**3**

"Get that camera out of here!"

Ikeda Kousuke's red glove blocked the screen, but the twinkle of thousands of coins poked through the gaps between his fingers.

"Strange," Meiru said. "I thought they didn't use coins anymore."

"Look!" Roll said. "It's Rouletteman!"

As the cameraman pulled back, Rouletteman cradled a twisted ankle. He floated over Ikeda's shoulder with a pair of digital crutches.

"He seems to be all right," Meiru said. "Netto and Rockman save the day again."

Roll smiled. _They're good at that, aren't they?_

"No, no, we hardly did anything!" A boy with a blue bandana laughed. "We just stalled Echo long enough to—"

"Netto-kun, I don't think we should tell people about that," Rockman said.

_Always responsible, always caring._

"Well, Echo will have it hard from now on!" Netto said. "Rockman and I will not rest until we…" He yawned. "…until we find her!"

"He'd better sleep when he gets home," Meiru said, "or maybe I'll knock him out myself."

"Why is Netto-san so tired?" asked Roll.

Meiru glare softened. She put down her light pen and sat back in her chair. "He stayed up all night with me."

Roll's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"He told me he wouldn't go to sleep until I did, that you'd want me to sleep, but…" She leaned forward, and her brow creased. "I couldn't. Oh, Roll, you were making noise for most of the night. I couldn't sleep to that, but I didn't want them to mute it, either. I wanted to hear it; I wanted to hear every time you cried out for him."

"For who?"

"For Rockman, of course."

Be still, her beating heart! It shouldn't beat so fast; she's just begun to recover, after all. "You're…Meiru-chan, you're kidding!"

"All night, Roll. The whole night."

Roll winced.

"I don't think he slept," Meiru said. "I don't think he slept at all. I'm surprised he fought against Echo like that."

_He stayed up all night…with me?_

Meiru stretched and yawned.

"You should sleep, too, Meiru-chan," Roll said.

"Maybe you're right." The fiery redhead cut her burners for a while and plopped on the bed. "Good night, Roll."

"Good night."

Yet as all was quiet in the Sakurai house, sights and sounds streamed into Roll's mind. Though her limbs ached and her eyelids sagged, a voice from the past barred her from dreamland.

"Roll-chan, can you move?"

She flailed. She waved her arms and kicked her legs, but her nerves betrayed her. The city skyline pulsed and flashed, like the frames of a film in slow motion, but the soundtrack played in real time.

"Roll-chan? Roll-chan!"

And it all faded, but for her own name…

"ROLL-CHAN!"

To think there was a time before him. Those were distant days, when all the kids at school had custom navis, but Meiru's best friend still battled with a generic, faceless one. Not that there was anything _wrong_ with generic navis. They were polite; they got things done; they weren't easily distracted by trivial emotions…

…like love.

But that's what made them generic. They were all the same, down to the last bit: distant, always distant. Roll looked forward to the day when Netto finally got his original navi as his father has promised. It was an opportunity to meet someone new, after all, and no doubt Meiru would be pleased that her friend's dream had finally come to pass.

_I never thought he would be so small._

At least, in contrast to all the other navis. Gutsman, for instance, could wrap her up in his arms (and did, on more than one occasion, but after she whipped him a couple times for it, he learned to ask first). Surely Meiru's close friend would want a big and powerful navi to take on his rivals in Dekao and Gutsman.

But no! Oh no, here was this Rockman, no bigger than her, clad in blue, with his bashful smile. Not what Roll expected at all. Gutsman glared at him, and perhaps with those gargantuan fists of his, meeting him for the first time, it should have come as no surprise that Rockman would feel a little intimidated, but Roll was not about to let Gutsman scare off the newcomer.

"You must be Rockman."

He flinched like a mouse caught in a trap, but Roll disarmed him with a smile. "Don't mind Gutsman," Roll said. "I think you're going to battle him later on. That's why he's staring."

"Ah, is that it." He studied his opponent head to toe. Gutsman's gaze intensified, but Rockman nodded, unfazed. "That should be a good match. Thank you…uh…"

"I'm Roll. Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you, too, Roll-chan."

Roll giggled. "I don't know if you need the '-chan.' "

"Oh, I'm sorry! Roll then."

She tilted her head. _He didn't have to show me that kind of respect—most navis don't with each other—but it was nice of him to. It was…sweet._ "Never mind," she said. " 'Roll-chan' is fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. It'll just be for you and me."

Much to her dismay, everyone started calling her Roll-chan, even Meiru and some of her friends, for a while. Some navis—like Aquaman, Numberman—still did.

_But it will always be Rockman's name for me, no matter what._

Meiru turned over in bed. "Netto…"

_Meiru-chan and Netto-san get along well lately._ Roll smiled. _It's about time._

But what of Rockman? Where was her knight in shining blue armor?

_That's right. He cried. He cried for me._

Just a drop; that's all it takes. A single drop in the night, and his palm stuck against the tube. She pressed her hand against the glass ceiling, but as close as they were, it was no substitute for touch.

Roll stood up, but she wobbled on her feet and landed on her plug. She wheezed and shook the fatigue away, but it settled over her like a storm cloud.

_He cried for me. Is that good? Is that bad?_

Of course, there were a thousand reasons for him to shed a tear. Passing cyber-dust, for example. Or guilt—maybe he felt responsible for her injury, just as he'd borne the weight of letting Echo escape to wreak havoc on Internet City. That was Rockman, after all. He cared for all things…

…not just her.

For Medi and Grove, for Trill and Imi. Everything and everyone he would protect and defend.

And he would show no favorites.

Palm, glass, palm. Even her fears and doubts withered in the face of that memory. Her smile flipped a switch in him; it erased his melancholy and imbued him with strength. Strength of the heart, of the spirit. Isn't that what he drew upon to fight Echo?

It was a guess, to be sure: speculation at best, unfounded hope at worst, but in hope there is the will to live another day, the courage to confront one's deepest secret.

But just _how_ could she confront it while confined to this PET, cut off from the net? She could yell across the gap between their homes for all the good that would do. No, to reach Rockman, she would need an intermediary.

And she knew just the dog for the job.

—

The bipedal, virtual canine, replete with a thin red collar and a chip tied around his neck, popped out of a hole in the floor and danced around Rockman.

"What is it, Rush?" he asked. "What's going on?"

"Aup aup," said Rush, and he curved his paws around his forehead.

"A message from Roll-chan?"

"Aup aup!"

Rockman chuckled. "She wants to know how I'm doing? Tell her I'm fine and ask her if she's feeling better. Oh, and tell her to rest, too."

The digital dog saluted and summoned another hole in the floor. He hopped down it, and the void closed behind him.

Rockman blinked. _Is Rush our messenger now?_

He shook off the thought. More pressing matters were at hand.

"_It is so. It's always so."_

Rockman's arm sank into an invisible wall, and he pulled out a flat block of data. Within the grid, a small, white navi slept.

_She's still here. That's good._

In all the chaos surrounding Echo, everyone forgot Imi, but she was as much an enigma. Where did she come from? Why was she at the Treble Clef that day? Why did she disappear to parts unknown so frequently?

There was Mazeman. He must have touched her. He must have known her secret. Did she…did she delete him for it? And she knew the way through his maze. How could she know this?

Grove touched her, too. She heard things, saw things. Indescribable, indecipherable. Was that Imi's secret? To make anyone remember her past as if it were their own?

Was that Echo's secret?

Rockman slid Imi's form back into the depths of the PET. If she were Echo, he wouldn't want to touch her on accident, would he?

_That's silly. If Imi-chan were Echo, she could have deleted me and Roll-chan long ago. Echo didn't hesitate to attack Roll-chan._

Ah, but she did, didn't she? Maybe not then, but before, in the city control bunker. With Roll and Blues trapped behind a cave-in, Rockman and Searchman shot and blasted their way through the rocks. Blues and Roll were safe and sound—Echo had escaped through the roof of the tunnel.

"But she let me live," Roll had said. "She didn't want to delete me."

_Could it be…?_

"Aup aup!" Rush waved his paws and danced around Rockman.

"Roll-chan's feeling a little better?" Rockman said. "That's good."

"Aup! Aup aup _aup_ aup!"

"She shouldn't feel guilty. We were all worried about her."

"Aup, aup aup! Aup aup aup."

"She wants to what?" Rockman winced. "I don't think that's—"

"Aup…" Rush pressed his paws together and dropped to his knees. His eyes watered, and his lips quavered. "Aup aup aup," he said. His paws curved around his head again, and he swayed to and fro. "Aup aup aup aup aup aup!"

"Roll-chan…"

As Rush performed on her behalf, Rockman imagined her instead. "Please, Rockman," she would say. "I just want to do something nice for everyone."

Rockman shook his head. "Netto-kun is going to find this very awkward."

"It will be fun!" Roll said. "It will take everyone's minds off me—off me and Echo."

He sighed. How could he deny her after her ordeal?

"All right," he said, and Rush clapped and howled. "In a few hours, I'll wake Netto-kun and see what he thinks."

Rush nodded and disappeared back down his hole, and Rockman could see the look on Netto's face already.

"What?! A date…with Meiru-chan?"

This period of heart-stopping shock faded quickly when Rockman explained it was Roll's idea.

"Oh," Netto said. "Well, if it's for Roll's sake…" His eyes darted to the window. "I guess we can do that."

"Really?" said Rockman.

"That's not strange, is it?"

"It's not. I just didn't expect you to get over it so quick."

"Get over…what?"

"The idea of going on a date with Meiru-chan."

"I'm in sixth grade, Rockman! Sixth graders are not meant to go out on dates!"

"Iceman told me otherwise."

"Eh? Tohru-kun has a girlfriend?"

"Well…"

"Tohru-kun has a boyfriend?"

"I didn't say anything!"

Regardless, the brunet boy in the blue bandana trudged through the motions of washing up. "Roll-chan suggested that you…wear something nice," Rockman said.

The cringe was audible even as Netto flipped through his wardrobe, a forest of orange vests. "I don't have much choice, here, Rockman."

"What about that one?" A simple yellow shirt hung beside a bug-catching net.

"Nah," Netto said. "I think this is fine."

"Oh, Netto-kun, can we drop by the Ministry of Science?"

"Now?" Netto glanced at the clock. "We'll be even later than late!"

"Roll-chan's still recovering in her PET," Rockman said. "And she's all alone while still cut off from the net. I thought maybe Papa could find us a cable to connect our PETs."

"A cable?" Netto frowned. "What's a cable?"

Rockman rolled his eyes. "Netto-kun!"

"All right, all right," said the operator. "We'll go see Papa real fast." He snapped on his skates and hit the pavement rolling.

"But Meiru-chan's going to kill us."

**4**

In the depths of the Ministry of Science, the researchers often found unconventional uses for ordinary items. Hikari Yuuichirou mastered this art: coffee cups served as distilling beakers, and simple house keys provided a ready test-bed for spot welding new alloys to known materials.

Many scientists found themselves locked out of their own homes as a result of these improvised experiments.

This day, however, Yuuichirou tested something hitherto unknown to the scientific community.

The laptop keyboard pillow.

Knock-knock.

Yuuichirou slumped further at his desk and rolled over the spacebar.

Knock-knock! "Papa! Papa, are you in there?"

Awake! Wide awake and alert we are! The laptop teetered off the edge of the desk. He caught it with one hand, and his arm sagged under its weight, but he righted it and placed it flat on the desk again.

He whipped his head back and forth, and his eyelids snapped shut like blast shields.

"Hello? Is anyone in there?"

"Yes, yes! Coming!" He sprang from his chair and marched into the main lab…

…where water bubbled through two cylindrical tanks: one for Saito, one for Masuyo.

"Just hold on a little while longer, my son." He made for the door (and thank God for that door; before he installed it, everyone and their mother just dropped right in, as if the words _classified lab_ meant nothing to them), and…

"Hello, Papa!" Yuuichirou stared blankly. What was Netto doing here? Could he…could he see over his shoulder, see himself in that tank?

He slammed the door, but it banged on the lock. He turned the knob, and this time, it shut properly.

"Papa! Wait!"

He stretched the two curtains around the tanks, straightened out their wrinkles and folds. He could afford no gaps, nothing that might betray what lay beneath. Satisfied, he returned to the door and cracked it open. "Ah, Netto. What brings you here? I thought you already went home."

"We came back," said the boy. "Rockman and I are…well…"

"What's this?"

"We're taking Meiru-chan and Roll on a date."

"Oh, is that so!" He laughed. It was good to see his boys having fun for a change.

Good to see _both_ of them having fun for a change.

"And Rockman thought it'd be a good idea to find a cable to link our PETs together," Netto said. "For Roll."

"Ah, I see. Well, I imagine we have a cable for that around here somewhere. Either that, or it's on back order from IPC. Why don't you let me take Rockman and see what we can do?"

"Okay_."_ Netto slipped the case between the door and the frame.

"I'll be right back," Yuuichirou said, and he shut the door behind him, stranding Netto outside.

"Ah, Papa!"

"It will just take a second!" With Netto's PET in tow, Yuuichirou passed through the lab on the way to a storage room.

"Papa," asked Rockman, "what's behind the curtains?"

"Nothing," said Yuuichirou. "Nothing at all."

—

_What could Papa be working on that's so secret?_

After all, Netto had been a part of every other discovery Yuuichirou made—at least since the scientist-turned-explorer returned from his globetrotting adventures. Cross Fusion, the Greiga and Falzer chips, Soul Unisons and Crosses. What more could there be? And why was he keeping it from him?

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

A tall, lanky man in a labcoat squinted at him. "Oh, it's you. Strange, I thought you'd have come sooner."

Netto blinked, and the stranger swiped his key card. The lock snapped open, and he walked inside. "Well, come on. You must have questions."

Far be it for him to refuse. Netto stepped inside, and the stranger jotted some notes on a clipboard. "Yes," said Netto. "…who are you?"

"I've been working with your father on Saito."

"On Saito?"

"Yes. It's been…very difficult for both of us." He chuckled. "Hikari-hakase would say I've helped him immensely, but to be honest, I feel like I've only hindered his work."

"Why is that?"

"Here, let me show you."

Puzzled, Netto followed the stranger to one of the curtained tubes. Hideki pulled back the black cloth, and Netto's eyes bulged out of their sockets.

"She's naked!"

"She's my daughter."

"But she's naked!"

"Hmph." The stranger shut the curtain. "Don't get any ideas!"

Netto backed away in disbelief. "What is your daughter doing in there?!"

"What do you think? Same thing that happened to Saito. She died."

"She…died?"

"Masuyo was very ill for a long time. It was no surprise when she died, though that doesn't prepare…couldn't prepare…" He closed his eyes, and his face twisted with dull pain, as if the loss of his daughter still burned him inside. "I imagine it was much the same for Saito, wasn't it?"

"Who's Saito?"

The stranger in the labcoat raised an eyebrow. "Where's your father?"

"He went looking for a cable for my PET."

"Where?"

"I don't—"

"Here? Or out there?"

"Here…somewhere."

Hideki took Netto by the wrist and escorted him to the door. "He left you outside, didn't he?"

"Yes, but—"

"Stay there."

"But—"

Snap! The door shut, and Nakamura Hideki shook his head. "Unbelievable. To keep such a thing from your own son…"

—

"How about this one?"

"It's not fitting one of the connectors, Papa."

'_Do you see?'_ Rouletteman said. _'They defeat you, and they get to go back to their happy lives. Isn't that swell?'_

Imi inhaled. And exhaled. And inhaled. And exhaled. In and out, out and in. That was the only way she could stay in one place and resist losing herself to Rouletteman and Grove.

'_For what it's worth,'_ Grove said, _'I'm as unhappy about this as you are. I have no wish to spend the rest of my days as your councilor.'_

In, out. In, out.

'_I think we'll all just have to get used to it,'_ Rouletteman said. _'How bad could it be?'_

Living with their voices for a few days or weeks was one thing, but forever? For the rest of her life?

_Why did you make me like this, Papa…_

'_I doubt he intended for you to copy navis to this precision,'_ Grove said.

"What about this one?"

"No luck."

'_I do think he's a bit to blame,'_ Rouletteman said. _'After all, he has been a bit of a thorn in your side. Or was that Grove?'_

_He was reckless. He gave me more power than I had before._

'_But if you can't use it, what good will it do?'_ asked Grove.

_Maybe that's why he did it._

"I think it's all right if we can't find one, Papa," Rockman said. "I'm sure Roll-chan will understand."

_Maybe _she's_ why he did it._

'_He has a purpose in life,'_ Grove said. _'What do you have?'_

_I have to get rid of you._

'_But how can you do that if we'll just run to our PETs and cut ourselves off?'_ asked Rouletteman.

_I don't know! I don't know…_

'_This is your chance, Imi.'_

_Masuyo-chan?_

'_You can stop now.'_

_I can't live with them! I won't!_

'_You said you could.'_

_That was before! That was when I thought they would go away for good!_

'_This is no different. You can find Papa again, somehow. They'll help you, I'm sure. Roll and Rockman—'_

_They can't know. They can't know until Grove and Rouletteman are dead, until I'm free!_

'_You must trust them, Imi. You must trust Papa. You have no other choice except darker paths.'_

_I'll…I'll find a way!_

'_You shouldn't. What will you do? Will you kill innocent navis until Grove and Rouletteman come to face you? Will torture? Will you mutilate? Will you strip the data from their souls?'_

'_Aren't you supposed to be a child?'_ said Grove.

'_Be quiet,'_ Masuyo said. _'Imi and I are talking.'_

_I won't do any of those things, Masuyo-chan! How could you speak of such—_

'_You've done them, Imi! You've done them and worse! If I can't persuade you, if I can't convince you to stray from this path, then I must scare you off it. Embrace the darkness no longer, Imi! Go back to being the sweet, cheerful navi who called to me, who roused me every time I slipped into my final slumber.'_

_If you feel you owe me a debt, Masuyo-chan, you don't. I did everything I could for you, and I wanted for nothing in return._

'_Then do one more thing for me: stop! Please! That is the only thing I ask—the only thing I'll ever ask of you, from now to eternity.'_

"It's perfect, Papa!" A wide landscape appeared on the horizon, representing locales unknown, linked to Rockman and Imi via the cable Yuuichirou provided.

"I'm glad," Yuuichirou said. "I'm sure Roll will be very pleased."

"I know it," Rockman said. "I'm sure of it."

_Can I stop? Can I be happy here and give up on Papa?_

A black disc eroded the floor, and out popped the walking, barking virus, Rush.

"I'm sorry, Rush," Rockman said. "We'll be just a minute. We have a surprise for Roll-chan."

"Aup aup!" The digital dog hopped back in his hole, which closed behind him.

'_No, Imi. Don't even—'_

"How does Rush do that?" asked Imi.

"It's a bit of a mystery," Yuuichirou said. "After the _neko_ virus went through, he…just appeared in the real world."

"I'd say that makes him very special," Imi said. _Very special._

"At least he didn't turn into a cat like everyone else," Rockman said. "That would've been confusing."

'_You don't need him,'_ Masuyo said. _'You can cope.'_

'_She can't resist,'_ Grove said. _'Can you, Echo?'_

'_There's only so far you can go before no one will forgive you,'_ Masuyo said. _'Not Rockman, not Roll—'_

"This should do the trick, Netto," said Yuuichirou, poking his head through the doorway. "Let me know if it doesn't work; there might be some others."

"It'll have to do. Rockman, what time—"

"We're five minutes late."

Netto shook his head. "Meiru-chan will _kill_ us for this."

"Have fun, Netto," Yuuichirou said.

"Hikari-hakase!" called a voice between the tanks. "A word, if you please."

_Papa!_

"Just a moment!" Yuuichirou smiled. "I'll see you soon, Netto."

"Papa, when are you coming home again?"

"Soon, real soon, I promise."

The boy in the blue bandana nodded, and the door to Yuuichirou's lab locked and sealed.

And Imi stared at her small window to the outside world.

_Papa…Papa was here! Papa was here the whole time! He moved on with his work; he forgot about me!_

'_Imi—'_

_Why should he take me back when I'm broken? Why should he spend time on me when he can create more navis, ones that are perfect, that don't feel or think or hear voices?_

'_Imi, don't give up on Papa! I'm sure—'_

_But he already gave up on me, Masuyo-chan._ The window closed, and Imi gazed into space. _He gave up._

—

As Netto raced up the steps away from Yuuichirou's lab, Nakamura Hideki chastised his colleague.

"You haven't told him, have you."

"What are you—"

"You didn't tell him; he didn't know."

"Who? Netto? You—you told Netto?"

"I should have!" Hideki yanked the curtain off the second tank, where Netto's twin floated in water. "Perhaps I should have _shown_ him."

"He doesn't need to know," Yuuichirou said. "He doesn't need to know until the work is done."

"You'll destroy your family before you restore it," Hideki said. "How long have you worked on Saito BAT? Days, weeks, months?"

"We're close."

"Every day we're close. You have to face reality: there is no way to know whether it will work without trying it. That is, unless you happen to have another copy of Rockman lying around."

"Leave Saito out of this."

"He doesn't know either, does he?" Hideki chuckled. "You're mad! That's what you are."

"At least I'm working to restore my family."

"What do you think I'm doing!"

"Was the story true? About your daughter's navi?"

A dark cloud swallowed Nakamura Hideki. His brow fell; his jaw hardened. "Don't bring Masuyo into this!"

"I know to take care of my creations," Yuuichirou said, "and not abandon them."

"You've never made anything wrong." Hideki shook his head and paced in a circle. "You've never made a program that did something it wasn't supposed to."

"What did she do?"

"She copied someone she wasn't meant to."

He peeled back the other curtain and slid his fingers along the glass, over Masuyo's face.

"She copied my daughter."

**5**

"I'm going to kill him!"

Sakurai Meiru tapped her foot on the sidewalk, under a parade of lights and the eyes of celebrities.

"You did tell him it was a 17:30 showing, right?"

The pink navi sat atop her operator's shoulder. "Well, Rockman had to find out when the next show was. He knows it's really supposed to be at 17:45."

"But as far as Netto's concerned, it's a 17:30 show."

"I think so."

As the minute hand snapped to the 8 on the clock, signifying 17:40, Meiru huffed. "Then he's still late. Late for his own date! What kind of boy is late for his own date?"

"Um, Netto-san is?"

Meiru simpered. "Yes, Netto is. Honestly! He shouldn't have even asked me out if he was just going to be late."

Roll winced.

"He _is_ the one asking _me_ out, right?"

"Well…"

"I mean, it's not like it might be _your_ idea, right?"

"I'm sorry, Meiru-chan! Please forgive me!"

Meiru giggled. "Don't be like that, Roll."

"How long did you know?"

"I suspected." She sighed. "Much as I might like to think otherwise, Netto's not the type to ask a girl out on a date just yet."

Roll bowed her head and mumbled to Meiru's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Meiru-chan."

"Sorry for what?"

"I hoped you'd have a good time and not have to dwell on sad things."

Meiru gaped in awe for a moment, but she recovered her wits and said, "Look at me."

Emerald navi-eyes met brown human ones.

"There will be no dwelling on sad things tonight," Meiru said. "I promise."

"Are you still going to be mad at Netto-san?"

Meiru grinned. "Of course!"

And her navi laughed nervously.

"Meiru-chan!" The brunet boy's footsteps died; he panted and doubled over, but that didn't stop him from apologizing. "I'm sorry I'm late!"

"You should be!" Meiru said. "Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting here?"

"I have a good reason! Rockman—"

"Don't blame Rockman for your—"

"Rockman thought we should get something for Roll."

At that, Meiru's cross demeanor fizzled out. "For Roll?"

"_Aa._ We went to the Ministry of Science and found this." He fished his pockets and retrieved a silver, glittering cable, one with a chip attached to each end. They slotted in their respective ends, and on Meiru's shoulder, Rockman materialized behind Roll. "Peek-a-boo!"

"Rockman!" She tackled and squeezed him.

"Easy Roll-chan! That hurts!"

"We thought it'd be nice to give Roll some company for tonight, until she's feeling better." He squinted at the spectacle unfolding on Meiru's shoulder. "I guess she is?"

"Thank you, Netto."

"It was nothing."

"No, it was something." She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her hands against his vest, until the heat of his body warmed her. "It was everything."

"Meiru-chan…"

"The film!" cried Roll. "Meiru-chan, the film!"

"I'm sorry we missed the beginning," Netto said. "I know that—"

Meiru pulled away from him. "You're lucky today, Hikari Netto. Today, we haven't missed anything."

"But it started at 17:30!"

"It starts in two minutes."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Rockman—"

"It was Roll-chan's idea, Netto-kun."

"Oh." Netto frowned. "Maybe…we should do that again sometime."

"Hurry, Netto!" Meiru said. "Get the tickets!"

"Right!" He bolted for the ticket window. "Um, two tickets for…for…"

"For _Nebula_!" Meiru said.

"For _Nebula_?" echoed Netto.

"What did you think we were going to see?"

Netto glanced around. Indeed, the signs were everywhere. A flyer stuck to the ticket window. "_Nebula: The Dark Reign of Dr. Regal,"_ it read, with an image of a satellite orbiting a strange, rainbow-colored planet.

A planet covered in a dimensional area, just as Regal had done.

Netto shook his head as the cashier handed him the tickets. "How could they make a film out of that?"

"Didn't the producers interview you?" asked Meiru.

"Producers?"

"They dropped by my house a while back. They asked a lot of questions. There was a man with sunglasses and a black beret and…oh! That's right, a funny moustache."

"That wasn't a producer, Meiru-chan. That was a spy!"

Meiru blinked. "A _what_?"

—

Ding-dong! "I'll get it, Mama!" cried Netto as he petered downstairs.

"Ah, Hikari Netto-kun?" Sure enough, a man in a black coat, sunglasses, and beret stood before him, armed with a camcorder. "You _are_ Hikari Netto-kun, aren't you?"

"Um, yes?"

"Pleased to meet you. I'm working on a film, and I was hoping to have your help. I wanted to…document the heroics of the Net Saviors in defeating Nebula and Dr. Regal. If it goes well, I might get to chronicle the defeat of Duo and Grezar, too!"

"The Net Saviors?"

"Yes, you're one of the top Net Saviors, aren't you?"

Netto eyes darted for a moment; then he laughed in his face. "What makes you think I'm a Net Savior?"

"Netto-kun, I think you should—"

"Shh, Rockman," Netto said. "No one is supposed to know I'm a Net Savior!"

"I have the blessing of the Net Police to shoot this film," said the producer. "Any insight you can provide would be a big help."

"But you must have me confused with someone else!" Netto said. "I can't be a Net Savior; I'm just a kid!"

"Netto-kun, I don't think he's—"

"He's a spy, Rockman!" said the boy. "That's the only explanation. He's a spy, and he wants information about the Net Saviors."

"He's not a spy!"

"I'm not a spy!"

"Ha!" Netto leveled a finger at him. "You won't trick me! I won't reveal anything about the Net Saviors!" He peeled down his eyelid and stuck his tongue out at the stranger. "Goodbye!"

"But—"

Slam! The door shut, and Netto marched back to his room with pride.

"I don't think that was a spy, Netto-kun."

"Of course he was! Being a Net Savior requires strict secrecy! I'm only protecting myself and you, Rockman."

"If you say so, Netto-kun."

—

Meiru bonked Netto on the back of his head. "You thought he was a _spy_? You know, it's kind of hard not to notice a huge dimensional area covering the planet! Or a boy in a blue suit destroying a giant-sized Laserman!"

Netto sank in his seat. "Can we watch the film now?"

The lights faded. The obligatory previews bombarded Netto and Meiru with a series of surreal images: the first, a smutty romance project of Charlie Airstar's doing, featuring none other than umbrella-hips herself, Magnets Tesla (At the sight of a bikini, Meiru clamped her hands over her eyes. "I didn't need to see that! I don't want to see that ever again!"); next, a film adaptation of Yaito's _Strawberry Princess_ game ("I hope the movie doesn't get trapped in a virus like the game was," said Netto); and finally, a preview for a new television series, _Who Wants to be a Genius Supervillain?_, with host Dr. Albert W. Wily.

In the words of Netto and Meiru, who stared blankly at the screen, "That's just wrong."

At last, the feature presentation! The orchestra twittered and blared, and the strings ramp up for a climactic hit…

"GAH!" A boy with ruffled brown hair and a blue bandana hopped on one foot as he struggled to put his other sock on. His elbows and knees flailed, destroying a lamp and denting the wall.

"Eh?" Netto said. "He looks nothing like me! I'm not that tall!"

"At least they've got the basic idea, right?" Meiru giggled and ducked his glare. "I'm sure it'll be fine, though," she said. "After all, it's just a movie."

"Meiru-chan!" cried the actor. "Meiru-chan, wait for me!"

"See?" Meiru said. "I'm sure they got me right."

On the screen, the girl in the blue vest skidded to a stop on her scooter. She turned around. "Oh, Netto!" She batted her eyes; thick eye shadow adorned her lids. She smacked her lips, and ruby red lipstick flashed as she pouted. "Why do you leave me alone for so long, Netto?"

"I do NOT look like that!" Meiru shouted, much to the chagrin of the audience.

"It's just a movie, right, Meiru-chan?" said Netto, but he shrank under her death glare.

"If this doesn't start shaping up, we're leaving," Meiru said. "I can't be expected to put up with this!"

—

In the cyberworld, there was much less fuss about (mis)representation of image or character. As the film played out before them on a digital screen, Roll snuggled next to Rockman.

"I'm so glad, Rockman," she said. "I'm so glad you're here."

"What do you mean?"

"That we can be here together. It means a lot to Meiru-chan…and to me."

"I'd do anything for you, Roll-chan."

"Would you?"

"I would."

She trembled in his arms. "What's wrong?" asked Rockman. "Are you still weak?"

"No, that's not it." She shifted and sat upright, but her hands twined and tangled. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Meiru-chan said that you couldn't sleep."

"How could I! You were hurt, and…" He fumbled for words. What else was there? She was injured; she was in pain; she called out for him, but even if she'd been totally silent, wouldn't he have been there? Wouldn't he want to be at her bedside?

"Is that all?" asked Roll. "Was it just because I was hurt?"

Her shining green eyes locked on to him. She reflected him, and in those tiny mirrors, his own eyes sparkled and twinkled, like wavering stars.

"I don't know what else there would be," he said.

"I see." She peeled away and lay down beside him, eyes shut, but wide awake.

"Can I ask you a question now, Roll-chan?"

"Sure."

"When we were in the warehouse, you told me I didn't need to understand."

Eyes open. "Yes?"

"I want to."

"You do?"

"I thought a lot about what happened after you said that. I was wrong to blame you for letting Echo go. You're my friend, Roll-chan, and I don't want you to be sad."

She turned her head away. "When I said you didn't need to understand—it had nothing to do with that."

"But can you explain—"

"It doesn't need explaining!" she said. "It shouldn't!"

"Roll-chan…" Why was she upset with him? What had he done wrong? How could he be expected to understand if she couldn't or wouldn't enlighten him?

If asking her what she wanted would only anger her, how could he keep her from being sad?

How could he make her happy?

"I'm sorry, Rockman."

He snapped out of his trance to find his hand within hers. "This is supposed to be a happy day," she said. "Let's enjoy the movie, shall we?"

"_Un."_ Sure he could enjoy the movie. He could laugh with her, smile with her, spend the night with her at his side.

But all the while he wondered if her chuckles were true, her grins genuine. Just as he wanted to give her happiness, could it be she would feign it to put him at ease?

—

_Maybe we're not meant to be happy._

On screen, R Rockman sliced his Sword through Beastman, and the Darkloid crumbled, deleted.

_He never gave up, never quit. Not like Papa. Not like me._

Beside her, Rush munched on popcorn kernels.

_Tell me, Masuyo-chan. Tell me what I should do._

'_You shouldn't give up on Papa. You must trust he can fix you.'_

_But if I do that, and Papa leaves me again, I'll have to live with them forever._

'_Unappealing, to say the least,'_ said Grove.

'_Unacceptable!'_ said Rouletteman.

_I can't do that. I won't! You said it yourself, Masuyo-chan. I was meant for something more!_

'_Not killing! Papa will never accept you if you don't choose to stop yourself!'_

_Papa thinks I'm broken, Masuyo-chan, but what if I'm not? If I silence them—if I silence Rouletteman and Grove—I'll be me again. I'll be whole. Then Papa will see how far I've come. He'll see I've become something more, that I'm not broken at all._

'_No, Imi, no!'_

"Come here, Rush," Imi said. The digital dog cocked his head, but he sprang up and sat beside her. They shared the bag of popcorn. In and out, she steeled herself.

"Aup?" said Rush.

"Nothing is wrong," Imi said. She breathed in. "Nothing is wrong at all."

And she stroked his fur, up and down, side to side.

"Aup aup aup?" said Rush.

"I learn things by touching people," said Imi. "That's all it is." Her hand returned to her lap, and the canine chomped on his popcorn once more.

'_Aup aup! Aup aup aup!'_

_I know. I know all too well._

**6**

There are many types of agony, of all manner and form. They vary in duration, in severity and stress, but invariably, all variations of agony are the same: they make men wish for release from the source…

…or for revenge against it.

Perhaps the most perverse of these is the agony of epiphany. It occurs in three stages: obliviousness, where the subject ignorant of the pain about to befall him; the epiphany itself, where the subject stumbles upon a fateful truth; and the reaction, where the subject suffers torture, internal or external, for their earlier blindness.

As Ikeda Kousuke retired for the night, he placed his PET on his nightstand and slept easy, gleeful and oblivious.

So too did Egami Aya rest well, though her navi floated over the PET in holographic form. "Echo won't relent so easily," she said, but Egami, brim with confidence, bade her navi sleep that night.

And like Grove, Rockman too suspected his own obliviousness, but though he pursued his truth with all his might, it still eluded him. As Netto and Meiru cut the cable, and Roll vanished from his side, he wondered if he would ever know, if he could catch it before epiphany struck.

But a particular digital dog slept like the others, completely oblivious, until…

"Rush."

His ear twitched.

"Rush!"

Eyes open, he scanned the room, but Meiru and Roll both dozed quietly.

"Come here!"

He teetered forth, into the darkness, down the steps and onto the lawn, but under moon and star, he stood alone, amidst the chirps of insects and—

"You're here." Imi stepped forth from the shadows, and the blades of grass crunched under her weight.

"Aup?" said Rush.

"Don't worry," Imi said. "You won't have questions for much longer."

She walked past him, and Rush frowned. "Aup?"

And a white, gloved hand curled around his neck.

"Aup! Aup!" He kicked and thrashed, but the fingers crushed his windpipe.

"Easy," Imi said. "Easy now."

"Aup!" cried Rush. "Aup!" He punched and pulled on her arm, batted and yanked on it...

The blows barely budged her. They struck her like feathers; his strength drained, drained…

"Aup…"

He shimmered in light and shrank into a single remnant: a blue-green chunk of metal and wires. The chip clinked on the ground.

And Imi strolled under the streetlamps. She could give the world a few hours of peace and enjoy her newfound freedom. A few hours of peace…

And then it would all be quiet.


	9. Golden Silence

**Chapter Eight: Golden Silence**

"Step right up! You could be a winner today!"

But as his guests and patrons passed him by, Ikeda Kousuke scratched his head.

"What do I have to do? Give away more free money?"

"It did seem to be effective," said Rouletteman.

"It'd be fine if people took free money and lost it all," Ikeda said. "That I could deal with, but this…"

Indeed, with his slot machines out of commission, their magical jingles no longer attracted the casual gambler. Ikeda was left with the hardcore crowd: the ones who counted cards or computed odds in their head faster than the nearest supercomputer.

Granted, he could boot them out or politely escort them to the back room and lecture them on the finer practices of the gaming industry…

…including the more peculiar uses of a ball-peen hammer…

"But sparsely filled tables are better than empty tables," moaned Ikeda. "Even if these cheats cost me money."

"Calculating probabilities isn't illegal," Rouletteman said.

"Well it should be! My profits are entirely dependent on people acting in a random and foolish fashion. Just because it's legal for _me_ to do this doesn't mean someone should be able to waltz into my casino and turn it against me!"

"Your sense of logic never ceases to amaze me, Kousuke-kun."

"Nor I."

A woman in a sparkling white dress pummeled Ikeda with a withering stare.

"Echo!" he cried. "In the flesh, as it were?"

"Give me Rouletteman," she said, "and I will do you no harm."

A battalion of security poured into the casino floor. Guns drawn, they lined up Echo in their sights.

"You won't take Rouletteman from me," Ikeda said. "Shoot her!"

A salvo of gunfire popped and peppered her, but the bullets careened off her body into the glass doors, the carpet floor, the run-down slots.

"Those won't work against me now," Echo said.

Ikeda sneered. "You got your hands on a military-grade copyroid, then? Fine!" He snapped his fingers, and another pair of grunts set up behind Echo with a teal case on their shoulders. "I acquired this piece of technology from the Ministry of Science," Ikeda said. "They agreed I might need the protection."

"Fire!" A square box latched onto Echo's back, attached to the machine by a bright blue tether. Waves of energy cracked and sped down the tether, but Echo smiled, unfazed.

"This is no copyroid," she said. She marched toward Ikeda, deflecting bullets with a mere touch. "This is your navi's end."

"No!" Ikeda cried, cradling the PET in his arms. "I won't let you!" He dashed through his own security, between craps tables and cocktail bars, but a ripple in space pursued him. It upturned the polymers in the carpet and flung chairs into the ceiling, where they splintered and shattered. It chased him, and he lost ground, lost hope, lost—

The case slipped through his fingers.

"Rouletteman!"

And the ripple caught them.

—

The Mach Burst ravaged the Victorian Hotel and Casino. Blackjack tables split in half, and shards of merlot bottles sprinkled the floor. Frayed wiring showered sparks overhead, but Ikeda Kousuke brushed them away. He cradled his arm in a pillowcase sling and staggered from the wreckage.

"Where…where is my Rouletteman?"

Crunch! Wires and circuit boards crinkled under his sole. Ikeda examined the debris, turned it end over end. Shorn wires dangled from a cut—no, a ripped end.

"Snapped in half," Ikeda observed, "but who—"

A rubber button, faded and worn, with alternating black and red squares in a circle—the button told him who.

He scanned the ground. There, in the dust, lay the other half of his PET. He pressed the two halves together; though the two cases buckled and bent under his force, he carried them as one, hopped into his limousine, and rode away.

**1**

Hikari Yuuichirou paged through lines of code. "No, no, this is still wrong."

"What do you mean it's wrong?" said his colleague, Nakamura Hideki.

"I mean it's _wrong_," Yuuichirou said. "If I've told you once—"

"I know! A synaptic map, I know!" Hideki ran his fingers through his hair. "My daughter is dead; I can't go back in time and get a synaptic map of her brain before she dies!"

"Well, actually…"

"It's out of the question!" Hideki said. "Making a little time loop to grow a clone is one thing; tinkering with the passage of time is seven different others."

"Why seven?"

"Fine. Somewhere between two and eleven."

Yuuichirou reclined in his chair. "I think you're out of options. The human body is a machine with the brain as its controller. Without some sort of programming—sophisticated, flawless programming—to drive the controller…I don't know what we can do for Masuyo-chan."

Hideki tapped the wall with his fist. Not hard, but he needed to hit something, to pound his frustrations out. As far as they'd come toward reviving Masuyo and Saito, major obstacles remained. Had Hideki known of Yuuichirou's project before Masuyo's passing, he could have easily charted her brain functions, probed her mind and memories to model her consciousness. Such technology was not cheap (_Might not even been able to afford the funeral if we did_), but it was possible in principle…

…if only he'd known.

The gods had blessed Yuuichirou with such foresight; he'd mapped his son's mind and compiled it into a set of basic subroutines, around which he built Rockman. Yet this approach also had problems: it was straightforward to convert human thoughts and impulses to computer code; the reverse, however, proved doggedly stubborn. Identical simulations resulted in wildly different results. The conversion wouldn't take, or corrupt data would taint the resulting product.

"It's plausible that there could be an interaction with Rockman and Netto's synchronization, too," Yuuichirou observed. "That's something this simulator can't possibly take into account."

Either way, they were stuck, stuck harder than the flattened wad of strawberry chewing gum on Hideki's heel.

"I have an idea," Yuuichirou said. "Your daughter's navi."

Flinch. "What?"

"You said she imitated your daughter. It's possible she has the data you need."

"You can't be serious."

"Short of jumping back in time, I think it's the only way. You're not going to be able to code every aspect of your daughter yourself, but a navi…well, most navis are with their operators 90 of the time. She would be an ideal observer of Masuyo-chan. Then the only problem is the one I've been having: converting data to human thought. With both of us working on that problem together, I think we could make significant progress."

"That's not a viable option," Hideki said.

"Right, because you abandoned her," Yuuichirou said. "You wrote the navi yourself, and you kicked her out of your home."

"She was not meant to copy Masuyo; she was _never_ meant to copy her."

"Ironic that that could be what brings Masuyo-chan back to you." Yuuichirou yawned. "I'm getting some coffee. Want any?"

"I think I need to get out of here for a while."

"Suit yourself, but think about what I said. You've worked hard, and I want Masuyo-chan to live almost as much as Saito."

With that, Yuuichirou hiked upstairs, in search of caffeine.

_Use Imi to save Masuyo?_

Hideki trudged out the lab and to the parking lot, sagging under the weight of this proposition.

_Imi was never meant to copy her. If she malfunctioned that way, how else might she be broken?_

"Papa, please. I need your help. I can't get rid of them; I can't get rid of the voices unless…"

_What did she mean by that? Voices?_

Irrelevant. He'd forsaken her, banished her from his life. She came back to him, and what did he do? He pulled the circuit breakers, snuffed out her voice, and fled to a new apartment, where no one would find him. After all the hassle he experienced to escape from her, how could he seek her out now?

And would she return to him?

Futile questions. Futile questions with futile answers. These were problems he could not solve on his own. He needed help.

Help from his family.

To that end, Hideki parked outside a corner flower shop, as he did most Sundays. The least he could do when visiting his wife and daughter was bring them both a bouquet of white roses.

"Ah, Nakamura-san!" The girl at the register retired her blue braids. "You're early today."

"I decided I needed to get out of the lab," said Hideki.

"Two bouquets of white roses, yes?"

"Yes."

"I'll be just a moment; I didn't have them ready for you yet." The girl disappeared into a storage room, and Hideki waited at the counter, with the hum of a television in the background and the dripping of water nearby.

"Egami-chan prepares your roses with great care."

Above him, baskets hung from the ceiling; the store owner teetered on a ladder as she watered them.

"She's wondered who they're for," said Saloma.

"You don't wonder?" asked Hideki.

"A good gardener understands the cycle of life and death. A good florist understands the human psyche. I've run this shop for several years now, and I've met many men who come week in and week out buying flowers."

"What about them?"

"They are alone. The blossoms they seek aren't for celebrating life. I'm happy when they stop coming. I don't like being in that business."

Hideki stammered; Saloma's words kicked the wind out of him. "What business is that?"

"The business of death." Saloma descended the step ladder and collapsed it. "Then again, we're all in that business, aren't we? We all live, and we all—" She froze, and Hideki followed her gaze to the television screen, where rubble and shorn columns spilled onto a street.

"A casino?" Hideki said. "Who'd try to blow up a casino?"

"She didn't try to blow it up," Saloma said. "She was after someone."

"Who?"

Ruffled and dazed, Ikeda Kousuke carried the two halves of his PET into his limousine and drove off.

"She substantiated," Saloma said. "This is worse than I thought."

"Who did?" asked Hideki.

"Echo. She's been after Grove. If she's come into the real world, then Egami-chan—"

Egami Aya hovered in the doorway to the storage room, with two bouquets of white roses in her arms, her eyes glued to the carnage, on the remains of Ikeda's hotel.

"Saloma-san," she said, "may I—"

"We'll take the van," Saloma said. She took Egami by the wrist. "Come on, let's go."

"But wait! Nakamura-san's roses!"

"What's going on?" asked Hideki.

"We're closing now!" Saloma said, rushing for the door. "I'm sorry!" But a pair of ruby eyes blocked their escape.

"Give me Grove," Echo said. "Give her to me now, and no one will be hurt."

"You have no right!" Saloma said. She spread her arms out and walled Egami off from Echo's fury. "You won't touch Grove; you won't touch Egami-chan!"

"Who said anything about touching?" Echo punched Saloma in the gut with a Mach Burst; the florist thudded against the counter. Terrified, Egami cowered and curled into a ball, hiding Grove's PET within her. "Give her to me," said Echo. "Do it!"

"That's enough!"

A metal chair crashed over Echo's head; it warped on impact, and Echo shrugged off the remains, but she looked at Hideki. "What are you doing here?" she said.

"Protecting this girl from the likes of you!" said Hideki.

"But…what are you _doing_ here?"

"He's buying flowers," Saloma said, holding her head. "What else?"

"Saloma-san!" Egami rushed to her mentor's side, but the florist shooed her away.

"Get out of here!" she said. "I'll be all right; just go!"

Echo wound up another Mach Burst. "Nobody's leaving—not today."

"Not on your life!" Hideki squared himself in the path of the burst, and the energy fizzled from Echo's fingers.

"Get out of my way!" she said. "You shouldn't protect Grove!"

"Give me a good reason not to," Hideki said. He took Egami's arm, and the pair stumbled out of the shop.

And Echo stood stunned. "But why?" she asked. "Why…?"

Out the window, Hideki and Egami climbed into a lime green convertible. Shaking off her dismay, Echo closed her eyes. A black hole formed at her feet, and she sank into the void.

"Where to?" Hideki said.

"Anywhere!" Egami said. "Anywhere but here!"

The starter whined; the lights on the dashboard flickered and blinked. "Come on," Hideki said, "come on!"

At last, the engine turned over, and they sped away from the scene, from Saloma…

…but not Echo.

**2**

"Rush!" Meiru cupped her hands around her mouth, amplifying her voice. "Rush!"

But as the morning sun cast long shadows over Meiru's lawn, she folded her arms and huffed.

_Honestly! Where could he have gone?_ _I hope he hasn't run away again._

Not that there was much reason for him to do so this time. When Meiru got herself a troublesome new kitty-cat, Rush always managed to walk in on the situation just in time to take the blame. Little wonder he ran off; it had been an unpleasant set of circumstances for everyone.

But what could he run from now? He'd been nothing but helpful lately. He played courier for Roll while she recuperated in her PET, cut-off from the net, and Roll was not shy showing the digital canine her appreciation for his help. Rush wiggled and squirmed his way out of her hug, lest she squeeze harder.

_I don't think that would make him run away, though._

There was, however, a newcomer in Meiru's home—the navi Imi. Roll practically bent over backwards to care for Imi; she went back to the Treble Clef and encountered Echo for Imi's sake.

But Imi was peculiar. As Roll observed, there were many unanswered questions about her, and more than that, she liked to disappear on a regular basis.

_I bet she's already left Netto's PET for the morning._

Rush couldn't be jealous of Imi, though. She wasn't taking his place; they were simply different. That's all.

_But where did you go, Rush?_

A glint in the grass caught Meiru's eye. "A battle chip?" she said. "What's a chip doing here?"

But this was no ordinary chip. An older one perhaps, without the cut corners of the newer models. Nor did a picture of the chip's function appear on the front. Instead, there was only a green circle on a golden background.

"A Synchro Chip?" Meiru said. "The…the Rush Synchro Chip?" She shook the chip in her hands. "Rush! Come out, Rush!"

The chip leeched the heat from her fingers, icy to the touch; there was no life in this chip.

"Rush…" Meiru held the chip to her chest. _He wouldn't stay as a chip if he could help it. Something must be wrong._

_Wrong_ didn't begin to cover it; he detested becoming a Synchro Chip for her, even though he understood it was necessary—whether to combat Duo's Asteroid navis and other evils, Meiru needed Rush's help to use Cross Fusion. Back when they first toyed with the idea, Meijin scanned Rush and tied the Synchro Chip to his neck. Rush whimpered and tugged on the string, but the chip snapped back and slapped him in the face.

Which made finding this chip on the ground outside her home all the more bizarre. Rush wouldn't turn into a chip unless circumstances were dire…and she were there to rectify them.

_What's going on here?_

Screech! Rubber fumes tinged the air, and a car horn pierced the silent morning. Next door, a brunet boy burst from his home and stampeded down the path to the street.

"Netto!" Meiru said.

The boy doubled back and dragged her along with him. "We have to hurry!"

"Where are we going?"

"Echo's deleted Rouletteman!" he said. "She'll go after Grove next!"

"What? How?"

They piled into the car, and Rin Manabe floored the gas. A boy with a blue hood leaned over the center console. "Echo found a way to substantiate," Dingo said. "You know what that means."

_Cross Fusion. We're going to cross-fuse to battle Echo._

Meiru gulped.

"Where's Rush?" asked Netto. "Is he with you?"

"Rush is missing."

"What? Where could he go?"

She held up the Rush Synchro Chip. "I don't know what it means, but I'm worried about Rush."

"Echo did this!" Rockman popped up on Netto's shoulder. "She must have touched Rush and copied his power to substantiate—to enter the real world!"

"It makes sense," said Manabe. "She couldn't get access to Grove or Rouletteman any other way."

Roll's holographic image sparked to life. "But how did she find Rush? How did she know?"

Rockman glanced at Netto's other shoulder and all around. "Roll-chan, is Imi-chan with you?"

"No, we're still not on the net. Why?"

"Oh, it's…probably nothing!" said Rockman. His feigned assurances washed off his face, revealing his true concern. "I hope it's nothing."

"I think something's wrong," Dingo said. "I've been calling Saloma's, but there's no answer."

The sedan pulled up to the brickwork corner flower shop, and the kids jumped out of the car and into the carnage: potting soil littered the floor, and loose buds dangled at strange, unnatural angles.

"Saloma-san!"

The green-haired florist sat at her tea table, pressing her palms against her forehead. She looked up, but her eyes shone dull with confusion. "Who is it? Who's there?"

"What happened?" asked Netto. "Where did Egami-san go?"

"He took her," she said. "He took her…"

"Who?" asked Meiru. "Echo?"

"No, _he_ took her," said Saloma. "The man…the tall man. His arms and legs are like…oh! Like noodles, yes. He buys flowers every week; they must be for someone who's gone now. For his wife, perhaps, or—"

"Or his daughter," Netto said.

"You know that man, Netto?" asked Dingo.

"Saloma-san, where did they go? Egami-san and the man?"

She pointed up the street, behind her. "They took his car…"

Netto, Dingo, and Meiru piled back into the car, and Rin Manabe floored the gas.

"Rockman."

"What is it, Netto-kun?"

"Call Papa. That man—he works with Papa."

"What are they working on?"

"Bringing back the dead."

**3**

"Why is she after you?" asked Hideki. "What does she want?"

"She wants Grove," Egami said. The image of a walking eggplant hovered in the air.

"Pleased to meet you," said Grove.

"Likewise," said Hideki.

Egami shivered.

"What's wrong?" asked the scientist. "Aside from the rogue navi after you."

"I didn't think she'd come after _me_," said Egami. "I thought when we cut Grove off from the net, she would be safe."

"I suspected Echo would find a way to reach us," said Grove. "Though this…"

A police car diverted their vehicle around a road block. Ambulances and cranes dotted the street as they cleared both victims and debris from the remains of the Victorian.

"I'm sorry," Hideki said. "It wasn't smart to go this way."

"Anywhere is better than there," Egami said. "She came to the store; she knew we'd be there, and—oh no, Saloma-san! I hope Saloma-san's okay!"

"If I were you, I'd be a bit more worried about myself," Hideki said. "Or your navi. A navi with full battle abilities on the loose…" Egami hugged her PET, and Hideki focused on the road. "Right, well, you know all that."

"We're not safe," Grove said. "She could strike at any moment."

"Where could we go?" asked Egami. "Is anywhere safe?"

"Let me take you to the Ministry of Science," Hideki said. "I know some…people there who could probably whip up a cure for this mess."

"What about these?" Egami gathered the scattered roses. "You haven't delivered them yet."

"I hardly think that's important now."

"It's important to you, isn't it?"

He squeezed the steering wheel.

"Who are they for, Nakamura-san?"

"My wife and my daughter," he said. "My wife, Chouko, died in childbirth. Masuyo passed away not too long ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's like your shopkeeper said, right? The cycle of life. We live, and we die."

"Is that why you take flowers to their graves?"

A beat. "I'm still alive."

"You should deliver these before too long," Egami said.

"Shouldn't you have other priorities?"

"It's a ritual, isn't it? You take flowers to them every week. I wouldn't want to disrupt that."

Hideki sighed. "It _is_ on the way, I suppose."

In the car's computer, Imi closed the window and paced. _He's going to see Masuyo-chan. That's all it is; he's going to see Masuyo-chan. It's just like when we used to visit Mama; we'd bring a bouquet of white roses. We didn't do it every week, though._

'_Papa doesn't have much left,'_ Masuyo said.

_I was there! I wanted to be there for him. We were family._

'_But he rejected you,'_ said Grove.

_Be quiet._

'_You wish to silence me? You could do it now. Sabotage the computer, throw them off the road—'_

_No! I won't do that, not to Papa! I could never hurt Papa._

'_And you see it cost you an opportunity,'_ Grove said.

_I won't put Papa's life in danger. This is for him; this is for us. When I silence you, it will all be over, and Papa can take me back._

'_How inconvenient that he stands in your way now.'_

Inconvenient indeed, but all Imi needed was a moment, just one moment.

The car slowed and pulled to the curb, where vast rows of stone monuments and shrubs greeted them. "It's here," Hideki said. "Shouldn't take long."

"May I come with you?" Egami said.

"That's probably for the best," Hideki said, "but…if you could…"

"I'll stand back, I promise."

"Thank you." The doors slammed; the car was silent.

_Now we can get to work._ Mach Bursts, one after another, ripped through the car's core computer. The locks snapped on and off, and hazard lights flickered and danced. _There. They won't get away._ A black hole opened at her feet, and she hopped down it, into the world of the living.

—

"Hmm, a man you say?" said Yuuichirou. "Who do you mean?"

"He said he worked with you, Papa," Netto explained. "He…" The boy slumped in the seat and lowered his voice. "…he showed me something in your lab."

"He showed you? He told me he didn't!"

"Well he did," Netto said. "I saw everything."

The elder Hikari collapsed in his chair. "Did he tell you about Rockman?"

"About Rockman? What does Rockman have to do with Masuyo-chan?"

"You said—" Yuuichirou cocked his head and thumbed his temple. "Oh, I see!" He laughed. "Netto, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"What for?"

"Never mind. What do you want to know about Nakamura-hakase?"

"Is that his name?" asked Netto. "He—Nakamura-hakase—took Egami-san from her store just a few minutes ago."

"Why would he do that?"

"It's Echo; she's substantiated! She's already deleted Rouletteman. Haven't you heard?"

Yuuichirou shook his head. "No, I didn't know. How did she substantiate?"

"I think she touched Rush," Meiru said. "She absorbed his power."

"There might be a chance then," Yuuichirou said. "I've researched Rush's substantiation before. I may have a solution. Good luck!"

"Wait, Papa!" Netto said. "Can't you contact Nakamura-hakase somehow?"

"Perhaps. Let me see what I can find; you said he left in his car, right? I'll start looking."

The screen cut out, and Netto frowned. "What is he working on?" he said. "What are _they_ working on?"

"Naked girls."

Meiru rolled her eyes. "Dingo!"

"That's what he said!"

"It's what happened," Netto said. "Nakamura-hakase had a girl in a tube. It was long, full of water, and she was floating in there. He said she was dead, that she was his daughter."

The pair of kids stared at their comrade.

"And Papa is helping him?" asked Rockman.

"I thought so."

A collective "hmm" descended around the cabin.

"Netto!" Yuuichirou's image popped up in mid-air. "I couldn't find anything on my end, but you might want to have a look at this." The screen flickered with static, and a rocky spire impaled a police cruiser. The car tumbled and fragmented, and a stray piece of metal jerked the camera, and a stream of blood dripped over the screen.

"This is bad," Netto said. "Manabe-san, hurry!"

The stream widened and thickened; it splashed over the side and painted the scene of Echo's carnage in a monochrome of red.

—

And Nakamura Hideki was also seeing red. For him, it was not a whole image but a column, a series of characters engraved in stone. He knelt beside the monument, the testament to his family, and scratched the grooves and ink with his fingernail.

"I wish I had known," he said, "so there would be room for the three of us." He set one bouquet on the monument. The second he placed by a smaller gravestone, one with rough-cut edges and corners.

"I need your help," said Hideki. "I need help from both of you." He closed his eyes, and the breeze caught his sleeves. "I thought I could bear it, but I can't. Not both of you; now there's no one left."

_But I was here, Papa. I wanted to help; I wanted to make it bearable. Why did you abandon me?_

"And I may have made a mistake. I was weak. I let my grief consume me."

He crossed his legs and sat amongst the dead. He talked to them; he communed with them.

"And because of that, I drove Imi away."

_Papa!_ Behind a tree, on the edge of the graveyard, Imi poked her nose out and watched her father. She dare not let him see her, not yet, but now… _ Papa wants me back! He wants me back after all!_ To think, after all she'd endured and conquered that he would be ready to embrace her—perhaps even for real!

"I only wish it weren't too late for you, Chouko."

Huh? What did that mean?

"But Masuyo…I can save you, dear daughter. You'd want that, wouldn't you?"

Save Masuyo? Just how did her father plan to do that? Masuyo was dead—weeks, months dead now. She lived, yes, but within Imi. _'And I don't know what he means either,'_ said Masuyo. What was her father talking about?

"If I can find Imi, we can use her. We can use her data to bring you back to life."

Imi shot back behind the tree. _He wants to _use_ me? To bring Masuyo-chan back to life?_

'_Looks like he doesn't love you after all,'_ Grove said.

_Be quiet!_ She slumped against the tree trunk. The branches creaked and waved, and the clouds raced over her. _Papa…oh Papa! What do I have to do, Papa?_

'_Finish the deed,'_ Grove said. _'Show him your true nature.'_

Yes, that's right. Just one more to go…

"Come, Egami-chan," Hideki said. "We should get moving."

Imi closed her eyes. Her arms and legs lengthened; her hair flattened, and her dress stretched to her ankles. She was Imi no more.

"I can't get in!" said Egami. "The door is stuck."

"Stuck?" Hideki fidgeted with the key and yanked on the handle.

"The keys won't work?"

He shook his head. "I don't understand."

"I do." A Mach Burst rippled past them and into the car; glass shattered, tires popped, and sheet metal warped and bent to Echo's will. Nakamura Hideki's green convertible skidded into the center of the road, and oncoming traffic swerved from the hulk of steel.

"Stand aside," Echo said. "I only want Grove. No one else need be harmed."

"What do you call that?" Hideki said, pointing at the street. "That was my car!"

_Papa, please, just get out of the way; don't protect her._ "Stand aside!" Echo said.

"No!" Hideki said. "I had a daughter once, and I'd have done anything to protect her. This girl isn't my daughter, but I can protect her, too!"

"What do you think you can do against me?"

"How about this!" He charged her, fists flying, but they banged on a Barrier.

'_You should let him touch you,'_ Grove said. _'You can show him everything you've gone through to get here.'_

Oh, it was tempting. For many nights Imi'd dreamed of sharing the burden of her father's pain, of midday strolls in the park, just the two of them.

'_You wanted to replace her,'_ Grove said. _'Be her.'_

Masuyo was dying. There was nothing to be done about that except make her comfortable, make her happy. That was Imi's purpose; to make people happy.

'_Making her happy wouldn't save her, though.'_

And her death overwhelmed Hideki with grief—no, with rage. He channeled that rage as he smashed his knuckles on Imi's Barrier.

_He wants her back, not me. He doesn't want me. I can't touch him, not yet._

'_With such anger, I can imagine he'd be worse to have in your head than I am.'_

"Echo!" Hideki said. "If you want the girl's navi, you'll have to go through me!"

"No, I don't." A bolt of lightning arced over Hideki's head and jolted Egami. Her muscles liquefied; her bones wobbled like spaghetti, but still she clutched that shiny purple box, even though she gasped and choked for air.

"Please!" cried the girl. "Do whatever you want to me; just don't hurt Grove!"

"Your death won't silence her," Echo said. "It must be Grove! It must be her and no one else."

Hideki scooped Egami in his arms. "Do you enjoy this chaos and destruction?" he said. "Well? Do you?"

"I do what I must. Surely you can understand that."

"Then do it!" he said. "Strike me down; strike us both down!"

Imi snarled and stomped her foot in her mind. _Why does Papa protect her? What did she ever do to deserve that?_

"Stand up!" Hideki dragged Egami to her feet; the pair hobbled and stumbled from the scene, and Imi watched, helpless to move against her father.

_Papa…why do you stand in my way now, Papa?_

But the sounds of the earth beckoned her: shrill sirens overshadowed a quiet morning, and helicopter rotors chopped through the air. The clear and vibrant signs of life, perfect and pristine save for one voice that interrupted them. They foretold a battle ahead; they predicted her sorrow should she give up the chase now.

So she took a step. A single step, and then another, and another still. She strode forth along her father's path, through nook and cranny, hook and alley, but it was a tiring pursuit, for as Hideki and Egami cut between buildings and dashed across busy streets, a handful of brave, duty-bound men and women gathered to oppose her, just as the sounds of the earth forewarned. Her enemies wielded shiny batons and polished pistols. A whole motorized army—of agile motorcycles, hulking cop cars, nimble helicopters—revved their engines to intimidate her.

They were everywhere: in land, sky, and sea. From above, they commanded her. "Stand down!" said an officer, but she sprayed them with fire, and the chopper dodged and darted. Heavy slugs of lead pounded her frame, but they splatted on her dress, and she wiped off them off in one stroke.

Nevertheless, despite the futility of plastering her with bullets, the officers found no reason not to empty their clips…and more. They lobbed grenades and shouldered missiles to defeat her, but time and again she emerged from the flames and smoke, brisk and strong.

And she unleashed her full wrath on the city and its defenders. Geysers flooded the streets, and Slateman's Spike Towers speared passing patrol cars. Her flames melted riot shields and exposed their wielders to her lightning's full voltage.

But her father—her papa—ran. He dragged Egami along and carried her when her electrified muscles buckled and quit. He draped her over his shoulder and trudged through floods, danced across fire, and ducked from thunder. For all the burdens he carried, he walked tall.

He fled from her.

'_I imagine he would run all the faster if he knew who you were,'_ Grove said.

And though the police had yet to put a dent in her, their distractions cost her both time and distance—a distance she could cover only by embracing true power: the power of the beast within.

'_Stop, Imi! This is too much! Look at the terror you've caused, please!'_

_I've held back too long to protect Papa. I can only hope he'll forgive me for hurting him._

'_Imi…'_

"Take her now!" A salvo of rockets and armor-piercing rounds bombarded her from all directions, but a purple column absorbed and incinerated the projectiles. In its fire, she morphed and blurred. Three talons erupted from her feet, and green-white down spread from her back. The column dissipated, and feather-missiles ripped through police cars. The officers ducked for cover, and Imi, the new herald of Falzer, flapped her wings and shot through the sky.

_I'm coming, Papa. Don't try to stop me._

**4**

"Please, no more!"

The voice came not from the breathless girl slumped over his back but the PET locked in her fingers. "What happened?" asked Hideki.

"Take me from Egami-san," said Grove. "Give me to Echo."

"No, Grove!" Egami cried. "I won't let her delete you!"

"Echo's victims line the streets, Egami-san! Give me to Echo before either of you become her victims, too!" Grove said. "Do it!"

Hideki bowed his head and stared at the pavement as it passed beneath his feet. "It's the girl's choice," he said. "I won't blame you if—"

"No," said Egami. "I won't give up on you, Grove."

"But Egami-san—"

"No _but_s!" Egami turned her head and pressed her ear against Hideki's back, watching the landscape as they ran through it. Fires hopped from building to building. Overturned cars leaked gas and oil into slushy streets. Smoke and ash muddied the air: a thick fog of murk poisoned every breath, but despite the carnage that followed them, Egami smiled. "Have you forgotten, Grove? Did you forget that day?"

—

It was a day not unlike then. It was the day when a crack in space and time opened above Densan Town, a jagged gateway from which creatures of another world invaded: hordes of viruses—with claws and gnashing teeth—rained from the Fossa Ambience, the path from the parallel universe of Beyondard. They roamed the streets and cleaved cars in two. Those who had good sense ran for their lives, but others stayed to fight: Medi Capsules and Napalm Bombs obliterated the hostile armies, but yet more poured from the sky to replace the fallen.

Egami Aya could not fight. She fled, like many others, but the battalion of beast viruses nipped at her heels. They swiped at her, pounced upon her, poised to tear her apart—

"Magic Fire!" And blue flame incinerated her attackers.

"Plug your navi in!" cried a nimble Namastian man in slippers. "Anywhere will do! Quickly!"

Egami nodded and scrambled to her feet. "Plug-in, Grove! Transmission!"

But to their mutual surprise, Grove's flowers and vines materialized beside her. "I see," Grove said. "This is what he meant."

"But how?" cried Egami. "How is this possible?"

"Get down!" Grove vine-whipped a beastized Metool virus. "Don't worry about it now, Egami-san," said the navi. "I will protect you."

Grove's roots ensnared the viruses, and her Sunbeams blasted them, but even with Magicman's aid, they could not turn back the onslaught. Metools whammed their picks into the ground, and the shockwaves tossed Egami aside like a puppet.

"You will not hurt Egami-san!" Grove said. "You will not!" She slashed her vines through another wave, and her Petal Shield absorbed and blocked their charges. The minutes wore on, however, and fatigue crippled Grove's effectiveness. A Sunbeam fizzled and sputtered out, and the viruses squeezed and slipped from her roots.

"Don't plug me out," she said. "Not yet. You're not safe yet."

The viruses broke through her defenses; they piled on top of Grove. They jabbed and poked and stabbed at her with claws and talons. Egami jammed the button on her PET, but the pile stacked and grew. "No, Grove! No!"

A wall of light appeared in the distance. It crawled toward them, shimmering in all the colors of the rainbow. It slammed into the armies of viruses and consumed them whole, and Grove emerged—scraped, torn, but alive.

"I'm glad that you're well, Egami-san," she said, and she returned to the safety of the PET to fight again.

—

"I haven't forgotten. I've never forgotten. Have you?"

"I remember it well," said Grove.

"You risked your life for me," said Egami. "Can't I do the same now for you?"

"I could stand and fight. You can't. You only put yourselves in danger—in _needless_ danger. This is pointless, Egami-san. As simple humans against a substantiated navi, your resistance is…futile."

"Well said, Grove." Echo's talons pierced the pavement. "You cannot resist me. Give in."

"Why should we—agh!" Binding roots wrapped around Hideki, and his knees banged on the sidewalk.

"I hope you can forgive me," Echo said. "I never wanted to hurt you; you must believe that."

"I'll believe that when you stop coming after Grove!" Egami said. She clenched her fingers over the soft metal box, even as the vines poked and slashed at her. They curled around her wrist and choked her hand off from the heart. Egami's skin paled and tingled; it shaded blue, and the case slid ever-so-slightly; her muscles clamored and screamed for oxygen, but her blood piled up below her wrist, and her fingers grew weak and tender.

"Just let go," Echo said. "Let go, and this will all be over."

Slip. Her own sweat accelerated the release. It cushioned the case against friction, and Egami's grip gave way. She grasped a single corner of the device, a precarious hold, and Echo smirked. A rogue vine rose from the tangle; its tip sharpened to a point, and it thrust into the pile.

"Grove!"

The PET clunked and skidded on the sidewalk.

"At last," Echo said. "It's over." She leaned over the scuffed metal box. "What do you have to say for yourself, Grove?"

"What do I say to you?" she asked. "What do I say in your mind?"

"You urge me to kill you," Echo said, "so that you will know peace and be free from me."

"I'm glad that your corruption of me will be happy, then."

Echo lifted her foot over the case. "Always so contrary, Grove. Why must you be so?"

Squeal, pop! One-two-three-four Echo stomped into concrete, and a bushel of red hair rolled into the brickwork of a barbershop, with one purple PET in her hands.

"You!" Echo gawked at the sight. "How did you—"

Netto and Dingo hopped out of the car. "Meijin-san," Netto called into his PET, "dimensional area!"

" '_-san' wa iranai!"_ Four beams of light converged overhead, and a dome of rainbow hexagons surrounded them. The hexagons disappeared, but the dome remained.

"Synchro Chip, slot-in!" The boys slid the green and blue chips into their PETs, and a miraculous glow enveloped them. Rockman's armor covered Netto head-to-toe, and Dingo swung his navi's axe with pinpoint precision. They were mere humans no more—the bond between human and navi empowered them, and they bore the fruits of both rigorous training and strong friendship. Their individuality wanted, for each was a mix of the two, a blending, a synchronization.

A fusion.

And they emerged from this transformation with buster and tomahawk at the ready.

"Give me Grove!" Echo said, winding a Mach Burst at Meiru. "Do it!"

"Meiru-chan, run!" Netto blasted Echo with the Rockbuster, and Meiru took off down the alley. The path between buildings wound and turned, and as Meiru moved forward, Echo's battle with R Rockman and R Tomahawkman ravaged the path behind—there would be no going back.

Which turned out fairly inconvenient for Meiru when she stumbled upon a chain-link dead end. She scurried up the fence, but the specter of barbed wire deterred her advancement. "Roll, is there another way out?"

"I don't think so."

"Hand me over to Echo," Grove said. "Do it, quickly!"

"I suggest you listen to the eggplant." Echo strode down the alley, and R Rockman and R Tomahawkman tumbled on the ground, peppered with embers.

"Netto! Dingo!"

"Give me Grove," Echo said. "That's all I need."

Meiru looked at her hands, looked between the two PETs she carried: one with Grove, whose cold, stern expression belied her desire to protect the people around her, and the other with Roll, who pumped her fist and nodded at Meiru.

_She knows what I'm thinking, and it's not hand over Grove to Echo. Not yet._

"Well?" Echo said.

Meiru glared. "Why should I hand Grove over to you? After all the things you've done, do you think that makes me afraid? After you nearly deleted Roll—after you _did_ delete Rush—I should be afraid, shouldn't I?" She rummaged through her pocket and slipped a square piece of metal into her palm. "But I'm not afraid," she said. "Roll doesn't want me to be afraid. Rush wouldn't want me to be afraid…" She raised the chip to her face and turned it to and fro; it glinted in the sun. "…would you, Rush?"

"Aup aup!" said the chip in a distant but clear voice.

"That's what I thought," said Meiru, and she smiled fondly, closing her hand over the chip. "That's what I fight for, Echo. Maybe that's what you should be afraid of." She raised the chip over her head. "Rush Synchro Chip, slot-in!"

Two halves of an octagon appeared on the PET screen. They locked together, twirled as one, and eight dots connected to form another within it. A great power emanated from the device, and Meiru bathed in that energy, showered in its light.

"Cross Fusion!"

Roll's boots assembled themselves over her feet, and yellow bands formed around their tops, headed with a red centerpiece over the knee. So too grew two gloves over her hands, with ruby red elbow-guards. Roll's symbol, the heart on yellow background, came together and planted itself on her chest. White light faded to a pink dress, and twin antennae sprouted from her helmet and wrapped around her head.

And as her crowning achievement, Meiru thrust her arm forward, and a pink bow grew around it, complete with heart-tipped arrow at its center.

"Meiru-chan!" Netto and Dingo hustled to their feet and cornered Echo between the three of them. "Echo!" Netto said. "You'll pay for what you've done to the city! You'll pay for deleting all the navis!"

"I would be very sorry if we had to fight," Echo said.

"I'd be very sorry if I had to delete you!" said Dingo. "Actually, come to think of it, no I wouldn't!"

"You may get that chance," Echo said, "but it won't be today." A black hole opened in the ground.

"She's getting away!" said Netto. "Fire!"

Buster bolts, arrows, and tomahawks collided on a single point, but the hole sealed itself, and Echo vanished.

And Netto cursed her name for all to hear. "Only Echo would run from a fight!" he said. "Where did she go?"

"Netto-kun, a call from Papa for you," said Rockman.

"Do you think I want to talk to Papa now?" said the boy. "Echo just got away, and we have no idea where she—"

"Netto!" Hikari Yuuichirou's voice cut in and out of static. "Meiru-chan, Dingo-kun, Echo is here! She's at the Ministry of Science! She's attacking the dimensional area generator!"

"If she's attacking the generator," Meiru began, "then—"

The rainbow dome faded from the top down. The trio's armor digitized and vanished, and they recovered their PETs.

"This isn't good," Dingo said. "How can we fight Echo if we can't use Cross Fusion?"

—

On the roof of the Ministry of Science, Echo kicked the remnants of four satellite dishes over the edge and watched the dimensional area in the distance fall.

_Now there will be no interference. No one can stop me._

To her supreme surprise, a ring of light spread from overhead, and a dimensional area enclosed the Ministry of Science.

"There are several dimensional area generators around the world. I don't think you can destroy all of them!"" Yuuichirou hurled a tiny green sphere at Echo and ducked, but Echo shielded herself in a Dream Aura, and the electrical arcs dissipated against her shield.

"What was that?" said Echo. "What was that meant to do?"

Yuuichirou bolted down the stairs, but a web of vines trapped him at the top.

"Tell me!" Echo said. "What was that device? What was it meant to do?"

"It was supposed to trap you inside!" said Yuuichirou, writhing in the bed of thorns. "That's all!"

"You made this?" _Papa was in his lab. They were working on something together. _"Did you make it with _him_?"

"With who?"

"Nakamura! Did you make it with Nakamura?!"

"No! How do you know about him?"

The vines retracted, but Echo's hand formed into a very familiar blue hand-cannon. "Take me to your lab," she said. "Show me what the two of you have been doing."

"What if I refuse?"

"You _do_ know what this weapon can do, don't you?"

The barrel of the Rockbuster persuaded Yuuichirou to comply, and at gunpoint, he led Echo to his private laboratory, urging security and his fellow researchers to stay back and not interfere. When they arrived, Echo welded the door shut, sealing them in and keeping everyone else out.

"What do you do here?" she asked.

"We're investigating the nature of awareness subroutines and how they compare against human thought patterns," said Yuuichirou.

"I'm a very advanced navi, hakase," said Echo. "You can't confuse me with technical jargon. What are you doing here?"

"That's all we're doing, I assure you!"

She spied the two curtains draped in the center of the room. Rockman had asked about them, hadn't he? But there was "nothing" behind them, apparently, or so Yuuichirou had said.

Yuuichirou blocked her path. "Please, I beg you—you mustn't look!"

"_If I can find Imi, we can use her. We can use her data to bring you back to life."_ That's what her father said, and the secret to unlock that statement lay beyond the black veil.

"Move," Echo said.

"Please!" said Yuuichirou. "No one must know, not yet! Not until it's finished!"

Echo leveled Rockman's buster on the containers. "So you wouldn't mind if I shot it?"

He trembled; he glanced around the room and wiped his brow, but his feet stuck to the floor.

"As you wish." Pink light collected at the mouth of the buster; it gathered and fed on itself to fuel a single devastating shot.

"All right!" Yuuichirou ripped off his glasses and plopped behind his desk.

_Now, Papa, show me what you've been working on. Show me what you need me for._ She slid the cloth between her fingers and pushed the curtain back…

'_Do you remember, Imi?'_

"Masuyo-chan!" She rubbed her fingers against the glass, and Masuyo's velvet black hair floated and danced in the water. A lone light shone from the top of the tank, and the girl's body shimmered in a blue-green glow.

'_Do you remember me truly?'_ asked Masuyo.

"How is this possible?" said Echo. "Tell me!"

"We work night and day," said Yuuichirou. "Only now has the technology come far enough for us to consider reviving our children."

'_You've forgotten too much about our life together. You forgot about me and Papa.'_

_No! I've never forgotten; I've done all this, so I could come back to Papa, so I could be myself again._

'_You can never be yourself again. We are what we do, what we've done.'_

_That's not true, Masuyo-chan, and you're the proof of that: you died, and here you could be brought to life again! Papa would take you back, and you'd take me back, wouldn't you?_

'_No, Imi.'_

_No? What do you mean? You've always tried to help me; you've—_

'_And you haven't listened, Imi! You've destroyed everything for Papa's sake, but that's not what love is! Love is about giving, not taking.'_

_I…I didn't know what else to do! Did you want me to suffer, Masuyo-chan? To endure their voices for eternity?_

'_Sometimes people have to suffer,'_ Masuyo said. _'It's not good. It's not fair, but it does happen.'_

_You're right, Masuyo-chan, it's not fair! It's not fair at all!_

"Did you know her?" asked Yuuichirou.

'_That's not an excuse! Look what you're doing; look what you've done! You can't blame Papa for making you wrong; you can't blame the others for touching you. There is no one to blame for the pain and anguish you've caused but _you_, Imi, and when Papa finds out—'_

"Did he make you?"

'—_he won't forgive you, Imi! Papa will _never_ forgive you!'_

"No!" She beat her fist on the glass, and the body within shuddered and jerked. "No, no, no!"

"Stop! You're going to break it!"

_Papa _will_ forgive me, Masuyo-chan! He must!_

'_Will he forgive you if you kill me, too?'_

Beat. A radial crack pattern split under her glove, and a droplet seeped through the break.

"Are you finished?" asked Yuuichirou. "I need to fix this; help me!"

"Masuyo-chan!" Echo wrapped her arms around the tube, and she shrank and withered. After all, Masuyo knew not this towering navi in a white dress; all she knew was—

"Imi!" Yuuichirou can of sealant clunked on the floor. "You were always…?"

"I'm sorry, Masuyo-chan!" said Imi. "Forgive me, please!"

'_You don't need my forgiveness, Imi. You need Papa's. Maybe he can find it in his heart to absolve you of your sins. Maybe I can, too, if you can come to understand what you've done.'_

_I can ask him._

'_Are you ready to?'_

_I need to know. I need to be sure._

"Wait!" Yuuichirou said. "Come back here!"

She disappeared down Rush's hole, and Yuuichirou was left alone.

**5**

"Hikari-hakase is still trapped inside his lab," Meijin said. "We're going to start cutting inside. We've lowered the dimensional area, so you all should be able to enter without having to break through it."

"We'll be there soon," Netto said. "Just hold on, Papa!"

Egami Aya shifted in his lap. "Do you think your father will be all right, Netto-kun?"

"I don't think you need to be concerned!" said Meiru.

A weary Egami rested her head on the back of the seat. "I'm glad Grove's all right, but what does Echo want at the Ministry of Science?"

Hideki adjusted his collar.

"It's fortunate we managed to reach the other generator sites," Manabe said. "Being unable to use Cross Fusion would've been disastrous."

"It's not like Echo to get distracted, though," said Rockman. "I can't think of what she might—"

Netto hanged on the dangling end of his navi's sentence. "What's wrong, Rockman?"

"She's here."

"Who is? Echo?"

"I'll be right back, Netto-kun!" Rockman closed the screen. It was dangerous, cutting the window between him and Netto, but this was something he wanted to do on his own. Perhaps, to him and him alone, he would find some answers that she wouldn't share in an open confrontation.

Perhaps, instead, she would just try to delete him.

But he was ready for that possibility, and he stood ready to fight at a moment's notice. Until then, however…

"_Tadaima!"_ said Imi. "Rockman-san? Are you here?"

"I'm here, Imi-chan. Welcome home."

"Is Pa—" She shook herself. "Is Nakamura-san here?"

"He is…how do you know about—"

"I need to speak with him. Would you please—"

"We need to talk, Imi-chan."

"I must talk with him; I want to talk to my papa!"

"You've been gone all morning, Imi-chan."

"Please, Rockman-san, I want to talk to Papa!"

"Whenever Echo attacks, you're not around."

"I need to know if he'll forgive me!"

"Forgive you for what?"

"For…everything." Her momentum thwarted, Imi crossed her legs and sat in cyberspace. "I hurt him."

"How did you hurt him, Imi-chan?"

"I reminded him of something," she said. "Of someone who was gone."

"Of Masuyo-chan."

Her eyes flashed. "How—"

"Netto-kun saw her," said Rockman. "He said she died."

Imi nodded.

"I'm sorry."

"She was my operator. She was my only friend for most of my life." Imi fought the long, hard battle against unhappy tears, but she lost horrifically: they flowed down her face unhindered, and she dare not wipe them away. "You know what that's like, don't you?"

Of course he did. There was no life for him without Netto. All the friends he'd met—Roll, Gutsman, Tomahawkman, Medi—came through Netto's friendships (and rivalries) with their operators—Meiru, Dekao, Dingo, Jasmine. To think of losing Netto…it would shatter him like nothing else could.

And there she was, shattered and forlorn. How could he confront her like this? How could he accuse this little girl of being a murderous force of destruction and mayhem?

How could he accuse her of being Echo?

"I wish you'd told us, Imi-chan," Rockman said, kneeling beside her. "I wish—"

And there it was. Rockman brushed a tear from her cheek, but she recoiled and scurried away. She avoided his touch…

"Just like Echo would," Rockman said.

"Hm?"

"You didn't want me to touch you," said Rockman. "Just like Echo."

"I'm sorry, Rockman-san."

"You're sorry? You used us! You took advantage of Roll-chan's kindness; you nearly killed her! People have suffered because of you!"

"I know that. That's why I have to talk to Papa; I have to ask him if he can forgive me."

Netto's voice reverberated in the darkness. "Rockman, are you ready? We're going to use Cross Fusion to free Papa from Echo!"

"Wait, Netto-kun! Echo isn't there, she's—"

"Goodbye, Rockman-san," said Imi. "I see I can't keep him from knowing my secret, that I am Echo. It's better that way, isn't it? Then he can forgive me for everything."

"Imi-chan, stop! Imi-chan!"

"Synchro Chip, slot-in!"

She hopped down a Rush Hole, on the path back to the real world, where Rockman was going too. The familiar space of the cyberworld faded; dim corridors assembled themselves one block at a time. His instincts merged with another's—as Netto's navi, partner, and friend, Rockman would lend his operator the benefit of his combat skill, transforming a mere twelve-year-old boy into a soldier of justice, into a Net Savior who'd defeated Regal and his Laserman and stood up to Duo's judgment.

Many enemies they'd slain together, but one more had risen to challenge them.

Netto crouched behind the Rockbuster and closed one eye. "Take this, Echo!"

PEW! The bolt demolished the door, and he, Dingo, and Meiru bounded through the gap.

"Netto-kun, get Grove and Nakamura-hakase out of here!" said Rockman. "Imi-chan is—"

"Imi is here?" said Netto.

True enough, little Imi crossed her arms behind her back and bowed her head. Nakamura Hideki burst through the gap and shoved the kids away. "Imi! But…but how?"

"Papa, can you forgive me?" asked Imi.

"Get away from her!" said Netto. "She's Echo!"

Imi glared. "Be quiet!" Lightning danced from her fingertips and surged through Netto's body. "This is _my_ conversation with _my_ papa! Everyone else should be quiet!"

"Imi, stop!" said Hideki.

"Netto!" Meiru lunged against Dingo's grip, but he held her firm and away from the shock.

"Stop this, Imi! Stop it, now!"

A last jolt sparked across her hands, and Netto collapsed, free of her assault. "Papa…"

"What are you doing?" said Hideki. "What is this madness? How can you be Echo?"

"Can you forgive me, Papa?"

"I'm not forgiving you for anything until I get an explanation!" said Hideki. "I didn't make you to shoot bolts of lightning from your hands and shock people! I didn't make you to kill unsuspecting navis or come into the real world and start attacking human beings!"

"I never wanted to hurt you, Papa…"

"This isn't about me!"

"It's all about you! I did all of this for you! I did it all, so I wouldn't be broken anymore. Isn't that what you said I was? You said I was broken, and you were right!" She pressed her hands over her ears, and her face scrunched and twisted. "But how am I supposed to be not broken if you won't fix me, Papa?"

"I can't fix you, Imi," said Hideki. "I won't! You were Masuyo's; you were not mine!"

"But you're bringing her back!" She marched to the second curtain and unveiled Masuyo for the world to see, complete with dried sealant over the cracks.

"Masuyo!" Hideki ran his fingers over the breaks and rubbed the water between his fingers. "What happened?"

"She did it," Yuuichirou said.

"It was a mistake!" Imi said. "It was a terrible mistake; I want Masuyo-chan to live. Then we can be a family again."

"Do you have her data?" said Yuuichirou. "We could use it to restore her; give her a true mind."

"Papa, you can't be serious!" said Netto. "This is Echo! She's a murderer!"

"Be quiet, Netto!" The room shuddered; even Yuuichirou had to shake off his own outburst. "Pardon me," he said, "but only someone who's lost a child can know just how painful it is…and just how badly one might want them back." He turned to Hideki. "I know you feel it. There is your opportunity. It may be the only one you get."

"If I can help revive Masuyo-chan, I'll do it," said Imi. "I'd do anything for you, Papa."

Nakamura Hideki crouched next to her and locked eyes with her. "Can you bring back the others?"

"Papa?"

"They told me what you've done; they told me what Echo did—all the navis she deleted. You did those things?"

"I had to, Papa. They wouldn't be quiet."

"And so you did all those things—"

"So they would be quiet! That's all. So we could be a family again."

"Does that include murder?" said Meiru. "You almost took Roll away from me, do you know that?"

"And I'm sorry," said Imi. "I never wanted to hurt her, but I had to protect myself. No one could know."

"What about the others?" said Meiru. "Cardman? Rouletteman?"

"I had no choice! They tormented me! They screamed at me to let them go; they taunted me and laughed at me and wouldn't let me sleep! Do you think you could live like that? Would you like to try?" She stepped forward, toward Meiru. "I could show you these things if I touch you. Then maybe you can say you'd have done better than me."

Hideki shook his head. "I didn't design you to do that."

"But it's what I do," said Imi. "It's what I am. I'm not just what you made me. I'm something more."

Hideki stood up, but he wobbled on his feet. Just what was he looking at? The means to his daughter's salvation, or something far more sinister? To think that his little Imi had caused all the mayhem in town—that she could delete an army of navis in a single blow…

"Don't worry, Papa."

Acid churned up his throat. Those were entirely too familiar words; they were the portents of something dark to come.

"I don't hear them all anymore," said Imi. "There's just…one left."

Egami Aya flinched. She backpedaled through the door, but an earthen maze rose from the ground and shoved her inside.

"I just need Grove," said Imi, "and then it will all be quiet. Then Papa can take me back, and we can be a family again. Isn't that right, Papa?"

"Don't do this, Imi," said Hideki. "Stop it!"

"I have to get rid of her. For my sake, for Masuyo-chan…"

"We won't let you!" said Netto. "Battle Chip: Mega Cannon!"

"Hyper Burst." In one fell swoop, Imi gutted the lab; the blue-white beam carved a tunnel through the wall, and concrete blocks tumbled from the explosion. Netto, Dingo, and Meiru lay prone, bruised, and battered. Egami skirted the edge of the blast, but the shockwave knocked her into the side wall, and Grove's PET tumbled away…

…into Imi's hands.

"No last-minute reprieve for you this time," Imi said, "now you—"

"Wait!" Egami stumbled forth; she fell to her knees and tugged on Imi's arm. "Please, don't hurt Grove! Isn't there something—anything—"

'_Why? Why did you have to touch me?'_

Her frantic plea cut out. "What?"

'_Don't do it, Imi! Don't do this, I beg you—'_

'_DON'T YOU TOUCH HER! I WON'T BE SILENT IF YOU STRIKE HER DOWN, ECHO! DO YOU HEAR ME?'_

"Grove! What—uck!"

She choked on the word; why wouldn't it come out? What stopped the air in her lungs from moving? Imi's eyes, her red, searing eyes, transfixed her. Egami waved her hands about; something was there. Something long, yes. Long and cold, smooth and oh! Sharp on the edges. She traced it back to the source, and suddenly it was warm and wet. And it was right next to her. What was this warm liquid, and why was it so close to her?

She held it up to her face—even still Imi's gaze locked her in place, like a statue under a sculptor's eye—and it was red too. A darker red, a filmy red. Thick and bold like paint or…

She looked down, and the diamond head of the Paladin Sword protruded through her chest.

"No, Egami-san, no!" said Grove. "Echo, may you rot in the fires of hell for this deed! May you burn—" Tink! Imi crushed Grove's PET underfoot. She took a deep breath in and smiled wide, awash with peace and tranquility.

"Grove was wrong," she said. "She was silent after all. They're all silent, even…" She frowned. "…even Masuyo-chan."

Hideki gawked at his daughter's navi. "Imi…"

"Now I can help bring Masuyo-chan to life, right, Papa?"

—

He ran. It was all he knew how to do. It was all he knew to say to her.

"But Papa, wait!"

"I will _not_ have your data in my daughter, Imi, do you hear me? I will not!"

"But Papa…" Imi hung in the doorway. "We could be a family! Papa!"

Family? With that monstrosity? Never. To think that he ever had anything to do with her, that she was ever a part of his life—

"Nakamura-hakase!"

Hideki stormed out of the building, into the rainbow glow of the dimensional area, but Yuuichirou caught his elbow. "Where are you going? You can't leave!"

"I won't stay here with her!" said Hideki. "You saw what she did; she's a menace! That I even considered using her for Masuyo—"

"You're right, we have to stop her, and we stand a much better chance of doing that with your help!"

"I don't want anything to do with her," said Hideki. "Never again!"

"Whether you like it or not, you created her! More than that: to her, you're her father!"

"Some father I turned out to be."

"And to her, she is your daughter—every bit your daughter as Masuyo-chan was!"

At that, Hideki swiveled and yanked his colleague by the collar. "SHE IS NOT MY DAUGHTER!" Five knuckles of fury decked Hikari Yuuichirou, and Nakamura Hideki stormed off to parts unknown.

**6**

"Papa! Papa!"

An explorer and scientist rolled on a cot and pressed his palm to his head. "Netto…"

"Take this, Papa." The boy handed his father a bag of ice, and Yuuichirou gladly took it. "What happened?" asked Netto.

"Nakamura-hakase was…upset."

"He made Echo," said Netto. "I would be upset, too."

"What happened to her?" asked Yuuichirou. "To Imi?"

"_Papa!" Imi collapsed in the doorway. "Papa, come back! Papa? Masuyo-chan? Please, I—I don't want to be alone!"_

"We couldn't budge her," Netto said. "At least…not without touching her, but Meijin-san found something of yours on the roof—a green marble?"

"Ah yes. She's inside it?"

"For now."

"And…Egami-chan?"

Netto hopped on the cot and shuffled his shoes. "They zipped her up in a black plastic bag and took her to the…to the…"

"To the morgue."

The boy nodded, and the father wrapped his arm around his son. "I'm sorry, Netto. I'm so sorry."

"Well…you're all right, Papa, and Echo is captured. That's good, right?"

"It's good, but it's not good enough. People are dead who should be alive today: Egami-chan, Masuyo-chan…"

"Were you really going to bring her back to life, Papa?"

"I hoped to."

"Could you bring back Egami-san?"

"Maybe. I don't know." He lowered himself horizontal, squeezing the ice pack. "My head…"

"Get some rest, Papa. When you feel better, you can come home, yeah?"

"No, no, I need to work," said Yuuichirou. "The work isn't finished…"

"But Papa, Nakamura-hakase is gone! Masuyo-chan—"

"It's not just for Masuyo!" Yuuichirou eased his head onto the pillow. "There's still more work to do."

"Who's in the other tank, Papa?"

"Go home, Netto."

"But Papa—"

"Please."

At that, Netto jumped off the bed and left the infirmary, and Yuuichirou had more than a physical headache to deal with. Above all else, Netto and Rockman—no, especially Rockman—could not know of Saito, not until the preparations were complete, not until Yuuichirou was ready to break the news to them. Granted, that moment might never come, considering his eye-crossing headache, but for now, the black curtain and the tempered steel door would have to do to keep Netto out when he could not.

_The door…Netto blasted through that door. It isn't there anymore._

Yuuichirou stumbled out of bed and out the door. "Netto! Netto!"

—

The boy with the blue bandana hiked over chunks of cement and crossbeams.

"Papa was acting very strange," said Rockman. "Don't you think so?"

"Very strange," said Netto.

"What do you think we'll find?"

"I don't know."

Splayed metal edges—warped and melted from their encounter with the Rockbuster—fanned outward from the hole in Yuuichirou's door. Netto ducked inside.

The soft red blood pool widened considerably since he left.

"I'm sorry, Egami-san," said Netto. "I wish we could've done more."

Human and navi passed a moment in silence over the spot. "I think she would appreciate that, Netto-kun."

"I hope so."

At last, the boy faced the two chambers: one open, for all the world to see, the other still shrouded behind a black curtain.

"Nakamura-hakase wanted to bring Masuyo-chan back to life," Rockman said. "Could this person be who Papa wanted to bring back?"

Netto wound the cloth between his fingers. "Let's find out." The curtain slid away, and shimmering light sparkled over a young face, a familiar face—a face Netto saw in the mirror every morning (at least, those mornings he could be bothered to look in the mirror).

"Impossible!" he said. "Papa wants to bring _me_ back to life?"

"Netto-kun, the name on the tank!"

Three characters, engraved on a bronze plate, spelled out the name of the boy in the tank.

"Sa-i-to." Netto and Rockman looked at each other.

"So that's who Saito is!" said Rockman.

"But why does he look like me?" asked Netto.

"Because he's your brother."

Yuuichirou crouched through the hole and into the remains of his lab. "Your twin brother. Forgive me, Netto; forgive me, Rockman. I thought I could keep the secret from you a while longer, but…I'm relieved somehow." He laughed. "I should have told you both long ago."

Netto nodded. Despite the sour, sorrowful day and the destruction Echo—no, Imi—had wrought, Netto smiled. "I have a brother! Do you hear that, Rockman? I have a brother!"

"It's wonderful, Netto-kun!"

"And Papa's going to bring him back to life, right, Papa?"

"I hope so," said Yuuichirou.

"Are you going to program a navi for Saito-kun like me for Netto-kun, Papa?" asked Rockman. "Can I have a brother, too?"

"You already have a brother, Rockman."

"I do?"

"Yes, you do."

Yuuichirou stuffed his glasses in his pocket knelt beside Netto. He fixed his eyes on the navi that hovered over the boy's shoulder and beamed with pride, a pride that only a father could know.

"You always have, my son, my Saito."


	10. Selfishness

**Chapter Nine: Selfishness**

**1**

Amidst a chaotic bustle of labcoats and clipboards, a single man with the number 19 on his shirt wailed over the commotion.

"_Minna-san!_ I need your attention, please; I need everyone's—_oi!_" A shrill whistle silenced the room, and Eguchi Meijin adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. "Thank you. Now, we have a lot of work to do, so listen carefully! In order to find out as much as we can about this navi…"

He pointed to a holographic chamber, in which Imi EXE ping-ponged off the walls, crazed in her captivity.

"…we must take some precautions. This…" He held up a shiny green sphere. "This is what we're calling the Deconstruction Device. Echo is trapped inside it, and she cannot get out _unless you let her out_. Contact with any computer that is not isolated from the net will give her a clean route of escape. From there, she can get anywhere the net reaches and anywhere into the real world. Now, are there any questions?"

"Where is Hikari-hakase? Shouldn't he be leading the research team?"

"Hikari-hakase is…unavailable," said Meijin. "It cannot be helped."

"Oh come on, Meijin, don't play us for idiots! We all know he was doing something secret in his lab!"

"He can spend twenty-five hours a day working on his special project, but he can't spare a minute to look at this navi?"

"Do you have any idea who this is? This is Echo! My son was downtown this morning when she attacked; he's been taken to the hospital! We're wasting our time trying to study her. We should turn her over to the Net Police and decompile her bits!"

A dozen more voices joined the uproar in both support and condemnation of this remark. Meijin tried his best to calm the masses. "Everyone, please! We are scientists, not executioners! Please!"

Imi thrashed and yelled in her cage, tortured by the silence she'd worked so hard for. "Help me, Masuyo-chan! Help me, Papa! Papa!"

Sakurai Meiru dialed down the volume and swiveled away from the spectacle. Caged as she was, Imi needed a keeper. For now, Meiru and Roll were willing to fill the bill, but the job was…unsettling.

And lonely.

"I wonder where Netto is."

"How can you say that, Meiru-chan!" said Roll. "After everything Imi-chan did, after she used us, all you can think about is Netto-san!"

The drumming stopped, and Meiru's finger twitched. "What did you say?"

"She made fools out of us," said Roll. "Can't you see? All the times we were kind to her, all the times we tried to protect her— she turned them against us! She made out like a poor, hurt little girl, but she was always just pretending, waiting for us to let her go off on her own, so she could delete another navi!"

"She's captured, Roll," said Meiru. "It's done."

"It's not done! She deleted Grove, she _killed_ Egami-san, and she almost deleted _me_."

"I know that. You don't have to remind me."

"Then you should be angry! Why aren't you angry, Meiru-chan?"

"Did you forget when Meijin-san captured her in the Deconstruction Device?"

"I remember it. He rolled the green ball to her feet, and she disappeared inside it."

"I mean before that."

"I don't understand."

"Think about it."

—

"Papa! Papa, why…?"

Meiru seldom woke to the sound of weeping, least of all a navi's weeping, but Imi wallowed in a pool of her own tears.

"Whatever you do," Meijin said, "don't touch her. Do you understand?"

Two officers nodded and pointed their guns at Imi, but they were loathe to fire. Meiru crawled to her feet and wiped her head, but her hand brushed against Roll's—her own—antenna.

_We're still in Cross Fusion._

Beside her, the two boys—Netto and Dingo—rolled over and coughed up debris and particulates.

"Masuyo-chan? Where did you go, Masuyo-chan? Why won't you speak to me anymore?"

"What happened?" asked Netto. "Where's Papa? Nakamura-hakase?"

"I don't know," said Meiru. "They're gone."

"What—what is this?" Dingo nudged the white apron and blue pigtails with the tomahawk, but the figure didn't stir.

"Egami-san!" Netto rolled Egami over. "Wake up, Egami-san!"

"Netto, look."

He stepped back, and the carpet squished under his weight. A puddle of red soup engulfed his foot.

Egami's corpse thudded on the floor, and Netto clenched his fist. "She did this. Echo! You did this!"

"I just thought we could be together…" Sniff. "Papa…"

"Why did you kill her? Answer me!"

"Is it because of her? She touched me; it's not my fault! It's not my fault…"

"It is your fault!" said Netto. "Rockbuster!" He leveled the barrel on her. "Take this!"

Pew! Imi tumbled on the floor. Pew! She lay flat on her chest. Pew! "Papa! Help me, Papa! Papa!"

"Tomahawk Air Raid!" The blade slashed open her side, but the wound sealed and healed.

"Please, Papa! Masuyo-chan! Help me! Speak to me!"

Pew! "This is for Cardman!" said Netto. Pew! "And this one's for Rouletteman!" Pew, pew, pew! "And Roll and Grove and Rush!"

"Netto, stop!" said Meiru. "Look at her!"

"And for Egami—"

"Masuyo-chan!" Imi scrambled to her feet and clung to the base of Masuyo's tank, hugged it in an inadequate embrace, for her arms reached only halfway around. Netto's aim wavered, and he dropped his arm.

"What are you doing, Netto?" said Dingo. "It's Echo! Shoot!"

But the brunet boy shook his head, and the Rockbuster yielded, showing his own fist instead. "Echo's a little girl," he said. "A little girl who cries for her father, for her operator."

A tiny green marble rolled into the room, and Imi disappeared within. Meijin palmed the marble—the Deconstruction Device—and said, "Don't worry, everyone. It's safe. She can't get away now."

—

"If she hadn't gone for Masuyo-san, he would've shot," said Roll. "Wouldn't he?"

"No, he wouldn't," said Meiru. "I trust Netto."

"I don't understand it, Meiru-chan. She did such awful things, and yet you sympathize with her!"

"She's awful, and I'm glad she's locked up," said Meiru, "but it's because she's locked up I can sympathize with her."

"She's an evil navi! An evil little girl! Only evil people do what she did."

"I know she hurt you, Roll."

"It wouldn't change if it weren't me; she hurt a lot of people!"

"She betrayed you."

The pink navi shuddered. "Meiru-chan—"

"She betrayed your goodwill. She turned your heart against you."

Roll's fingers traced the perimeter of her emblem, the heart on the gold circle, which stuck on her chest.

"It will take time," Meiru said, "but that wound will heal, too."

Roll gazed across space at Imi, who fell to her knees and called to the heavens. "I just wanted it to be quiet," she said, "but…this is not what I wanted! I wanted Papa! Where is my papa?"

Imi never healed from that wound. Her father rejected her, and it tormented her to this day. She never recovered. Why should Roll? Why should Roll be the one to let go and forget?

Why should she have to forgive this girl?

Roll and Meiru turned their backs on Imi and meditated in darkness. Imi cried out to them, to the world itself, but by the time her voice met Roll's ears, her lament died to a faint whisper, soft enough that Roll strained to hear. Though she wanted nothing more than to ignore them, she listened to Imi's confessions, but they wound and repeated, like a corrupted song.

Like an echo.

**2**

"Mama and I haven't shown this box to anyone since…"

Yuuichirou cut the tape that sealed the cardboard flaps and removed the contents one by one: a newspaper clipping about a heart disease, HBD, and one of its lesser-known victims, "Hikari Saito, the infant son of famed scientist Hikari Yuuichirou." A creased photo of two baby boys, a matching pair of fuzzy boots and caps…

"We were thrilled," Yuuichirou said. "We were thrilled right up to the time we learned that Saito was ill, and even then, we had hope. Mama had hope longer than I did. The doctors felt like they couldn't tell her, so they told me instead. They inflated the odds in front of her, but I knew. I always knew. That's when I began working on a way to save you, Saito."

Rockman shivered. He'd pondered the question of Saito far too long to hear that name so casually used, let alone as a namefor _him_.

"Even still, you had the mind of a baby," said Yuuichirou. "There was only so much I could borrow from other navis and programs to grow your mind the way a human's would."

"I think you did very well, Papa," said Rockman.

"I can't tell you how pleased I was, to see that you'd matured so well! That you got along with Netto, that you complemented each other…" He brushed his eye. "But there's still something that needs to be done, and to be honest, I should've asked you a long time ago, Saito."

"What is it, Papa?"

"Do you want to be human?"

The Hikari boys looked at each other in shock and awe.

"You don't have to answer it now," said Yuuichirou. "There's still time; it's just…I've been working for so long to bring you back, it should've occurred to me that you might want to stay as a navi. You have a life of your own."

But the possibilities! Oh the wondrous, joyous possibilities. To walk in the real world, to have the sunshine tingle your skin…

…to meet Netto face-to-face and embrace him, not as a navi, but as a brother.

They had embraced before, in the parallel reality of Beyondard, where substantiated navis took their war of the beasts to the real world. There, Netto summoned Rockman to existence, and together, they defeated Zoan Snakeman of Falzer and rescued the Beyondard alternate of Colonel.

More than that, though: they saw eye-to-eye—human and navi met in the same world— and at long last, they could be true brothers-in-arms.

_But I never thought we would be true _brothers_. I never imagined…_

That was Beyondard, though, and while the denizens of that other dimension also liked to call this world Beyondard as well, Rockman couldn't simply get up and walk around the human world, and there were many times he wished he could have. Like when thieves stole his PET in Ameroupe, or when Netto first tried Cross Fusion and collapsed from the strain.

But then, none of those situations would've even occurred if he'd always been human. Netto would never have met Raoul and Thunderman, who helped the Net Saviors foil Nebula and then Duo. Similarly, Netto never would've been able to use Cross Fusion had Rockman stayed as Saito. How many evils had they defeated thanks to their partnership? How many would've conquered the net—nay, the world—were it not for their intervention? Would Regal rule the Earth and keep it locked under the barrier of a worldwide dimensional area? Would Duo have judged humanity unworthy and destroyed them all?

"Netto-kun, what should I do?"

"I don't know."

As the Hikari boys left the shattered remnants of their father's laboratory, a dozen men lugged two cloaked tanks from the room, ostensibly to a second lab, where falling concrete wouldn't threaten Yuuichirou's work, but neither Rockman nor Netto asked.

They ventured upstairs, where television screens showcased Echo's path of destruction. Men in orange suits swept standing water off the street, and ambulances swerved around glass minefields that showered from the skyscrapers above.

And then, they showed the face of Echo's latest victim: 15-year-old Egami Aya. She carried a flower pot on a sunny day; her grin and cheer outshone the brightest star. Over her shoulder, Grove bowed for the camera, and her crown of petals bloomed and pulsed with brilliant pink and white.

"I'm sorry, Egami-san," said Netto.

They happened upon the conference room. Meijin and the gaggle of scientists split into teams to analyze Imi byte by byte, but she did not threaten death upon them or scream for her freedom—nay, she called out only to her father, to her operator: to Hideki and Masuyo.

"She thinks Masuyo-san is alive," said Roll. "At least, I think that's what she's saying."

"I'm not really sure what she's saying," said Meiru. "Netto, where have you been?"

Where he'd been was a complicated question. Where he was going was even more complicated. Indeed, as Netto skated home that night, he strayed from the usual path, the quickest path. More than that, Rockman couldn't see fit to correct him. Instead, they found themselves at the park. Despite all the chaos that had befallen the town, the cries and cat-calls of children rang out under metal slides and chain-link swings.

"We should've been like them," said Rockman. "They don't know any different."

His brother nodded.

"Netto-kun, you haven't said anything. What do you think?"

The boy looked across the sand; castles and ditches dotted the landscape. "I think…I have a brother, and I didn't know I had a brother until today."

"We don't have to make the choice now," Rockman said, "but—"

Netto folded his arms behind his head. "I'm going to miss battling with you, _nii-san_."

"Nii-san?"

"Papa did say you were the older brother. It would be disrespectful to call my older brother by name."

"Netto-kun, I think you're taking this a little far."

"If you say so…" He grinned. "…nii-san."

Rockman laughed nervously. _I think I can only handle one new name today._

"But whatever you decide, I'll understand," said Netto. "Human or navi, you are my brother."

If Netto had any other thoughts on the subject, he didn't share them. They headed back home, and there Netto enjoyed the fruits of Mama's cooking, the scrumptious aroma of curry in the afternoon—a boy's favorite dish prepared the way only a mother could know.

_But Mama, I'm your son, too. Papa told me._

He and Netto exchanged a glance; they could tell her that they knew, but how could either of them bring back the sad memories of Saito's passing? Surely she knew all along that Rockman was Saito and derived joy from having a house of two boys again, and that joy was a private joy, too, one that she could call her own as long as it was a secret. Secret joys were meant to be kept secret.

And Rockman could only imagine her answer to his question. "Should I become human, Mama?"

Even that was the wrong question. It wasn't about whether he _should_ or _should not_ become human, was it? It was about what he wanted; did he _want_ to become human?

_Do I want to be human? Do I want to be Saito?_

What would his life be like if he were human? Would he and Netto skate to school together? Would they have curry-eating contests at Maha Ichiban?

Would they battle each other with navis of their own?

_Netto-kun…with another navi?_

As a navi, Rockman was always there to keep tabs on Netto: he woke him up in the morning (well, most of the time), he reminded him to do his homework (and to do it _by himself_ and not leech off Meiru). He chastised him for his tardiness and knocked Netto down a peg when his brother's ego distorted his sense of reality. Only Netto's navi would have such a constant, steady pulse on his life, and if Rockman became human, he would lose that. He would have his own life to live.

And his own navi. How awkward would that be? How could he ask another program to do for him what he did for Netto? How could he leave all his navi friends behind? Give up sparring with Gutsman, Net Savior missions with Blues and Searchman, or strolling about Internet City with…

_Roll-chan, of course! Roll-chan would know what to do._ After all, Roll always listened to him if he had a problem to talk out and couldn't consult Netto. Her suggestions were often a bit…fantastic (Netto's on a curry binge? Let's distract him with a virus attack; surely that'll work!), but she was attentive to a fault, and no doubt she would support him and offer him some advice.

But could he confide in her this secret?

"I think you can," said Netto. "When Meiru-chan gets home, I'll ask her to connect her PET to the net again, so you and Roll can talk."

That was simple enough, but there was another issue at hand that gave Rockman pause.

"_It doesn't need explaining! It shouldn't!"_

That was an age ago. Much had happened since Roll uttered those words less than a day ago: Echo snuffed out Rouletteman, Grove, and Egami, and more than that, she hid in their midst the whole time, and yet…was she truly evil? Insane? Both?

_I should've seen it earlier. The signs were all there from the beginning. She was always gone when Echo attacked, and the touching! I knew she was out of the ordinary, but Imi-chan and Echo?_

Still, it was best to put that matter to bed. She was gone, locked away, and may there never be another of her kind again.

All the same, was it petty of him to think not of Imi's victims but of his own dilemma—or Roll—instead?

_No, we can't change the past. We have to move on from it._

Thus, Rockman floated in cyberspace, waiting outside a closed gate for Meiru and Roll to come home and open it again. Perhaps it wasn't petty of him to forget the legacy of Echo, but it was selfish of him to dump all his problems on Roll and hope that she could solve them, especially when she clearly had something on her mind herself.

_It's decided, then. I'll try to understand what's been bothering her, and then maybe she can help me. It's the least that I owe her._

The gate pulsed, and Rockman stepped within.

"_If he were dead, I might as well be dead, too."_

Rockman balked midway through. _Maybe this isn't a good idea after all._

But Roll beckoned him; her voice rippled across the gateway. "Rockman? Is that you?"

He shook off his doubt (_Roll-chan is Roll-chan. She'll know what to do._) and passed through the gate, tranquil and calm.

Tranquil…and calm.

**3**

"Can you tell me why, Imi-chan?"

The girl in the white skirt shrank from the pink navi and her prodding antennae.

"Tell me!"

Imi shook her head. "It must've been an accident—that I heard their voices, I mean. Papa didn't seem to know anything about it."

"That doesn't excuse your behavior," said Roll.

"You didn't hear them, all right?" She clashed against a wall of hot blue rods, but their flames scorched her hands, and she jumped away. "You didn't hear them," she said. "You know sometimes you asked me questions and I wouldn't answer? It's because _they_ were talking to me. When they're all talking at once, I can't tell what's real and what's from them! I can't tell what thoughts are even mine or theirs."

"So they told you to kill."

"Yes! Believe it or not, yes! I don't understand it either, but that's what they wanted. They saw what I saw, heard what I heard." She plopped on the floor. "We drove each other crazy."

"Is that what you call it."

"They were evil people, Roll-san; they were all evil. From the first time Sonicman touched me, he had nothing but hatred for his 'imprisonment' in my mind. They were all that way, every last one of them."

"Don't forget: I knew Grove. She may have been cold and rude, but she was _not_ evil."

"_Especially_ Grove. She was so irritating; she could never stop trying to outwit me. Her words were full of disdain and disgust. She and Slateman—they never shut up. I was so glad when he died."

"You killed him too?"

"You remember when Grove touched me? She saw my memories, heard my thoughts. I used that against Slateman. I put my own data into him, and Hikari-hakase fell for it."

Roll shook her head. One minute Imi would implore Roll to understand her plight, her suffering, but the next, she would revel in having deceived and manipulated her victims.

_And I'm supposed to forgive her? I'm supposed to forget?_

"I'm glad your father rejected you," said Roll. "You aren't worthy of anyone's love."

"Roll-san!" Imi flinched, and her eyes glazed over with a new layer of water. "How—how could you?"

"Don't think you can deny it!"

Fresh tears dripped from the tip Imi's nose. "I thought you were different, Roll-san…"

"Different enough to use, so you could get to the others?"

"I hoped you'd be kind, unlike the others, the voices. I never wanted to hurt you or Rockman-san."

"But you _did_ hurt me, Imi-chan! Don't you remember?"

"I stayed at your bedside the whole night; I remember! Do you think if I wanted to kill you just for the sake of killing you I'd have done that?"

"You would've gotten caught."

"Maybe so, but I never came after you. You know that. I only attacked you to protect my secret."

"That doesn't make it right, Imi-chan!"

"I know! But I had to make them go away, so I could be with Papa again. He told me I was broken, and I thought that the voices were what he meant, but…it wasn't."

"You did all this for the sake of yourself and your papa?"

Imi's eyes pierced the bars. "Wouldn't you, Roll-san? Wouldn't you do anything for Rockman-san?"

_For…for Rockman?_

"I know you care for him," said Imi. "I always knew."

"Don't bring Rockman into this!" said Roll. "It's not the same!"

"It is the same! I love Papa. After Masuyo-chan died, he was the only thing left in my life, and he threw me away…" She sniffled. "He left Masuyo-chan's PET to die on her desk. He didn't even take it with him because he knew I might come back."

"That's different," Roll said. "He's your father."

"It's not! Papa made me to keep Masuyo-chan company as she was dying, to make her giggle and smile to the end. I used to think he made me for her, so she would be comfortable, but he didn't. He made me for him, so _he_ could enjoy her laughter. I had to make her happy to make him happy. I couldn't make him happy myself. I could only make him sad."

_He made her and threw her away. He took all her energy and left this _thing_ behind._

"I hope you make him happy, Roll-san."

Roll jerked in her seat. "What?"

"I hope he makes you happy, too. It'd be sad if he didn't." At that, Imi turned her back on Roll and watched the crowd of scientists as they picked her data apart.

And Roll's mind melted into a sea of uncertainty. No doubt Imi was still every bit the despicable monster Roll believed her to be, but it made a lot more sense to say that she formed from something—was the result of something—than to say she was born evil, written to be a murderer. Sure, if Roll could believe Imi, then chance had a part to play in Imi's motives, for who could've guessed that her imitative programming would make her hear the voices of the people she touched?

But chance was something out of their control. What was in their control were actions—what people do and how they respond to each other. This, at least, was a discipline Roll studied to some length, if only to help Meiru understand the inscrutable behavior of a certain next-door neighbor with blue bandana. "Is he ignoring me," Meiru would wonder, "or is he just that dumb not to call when I want to see him?"

The usual consensus was "he's just that dumb." After all, anything short of precognition constituted _stupid_ in Meiru's book, particularly on Netto's part.

Regardless of Hikari Netto's faults, Roll did appreciate Imi's circumstances. _It's why I took her in—she was alone._ A human who kicked out their daughter's navi and lacked the decency to find a replacement operator committed a high crime in Roll's eyes. _Like Netto-san said, she's a little girl._

But Imi's actions after that were her own. Did she fight? Did she resist the urge to "silence" the voices within?

"I tried, Roll-san!" Imi said. "I tried and tried, but they were so many, and Sonicman—he was an accident! I didn't know what I was doing; I just wanted him to stop yelling at me, screaming at me…"

But then, when he was silent, she took his place and blamed Pickman and the others for her loss of control. Her lie brought them back to the Treble Clef and incited their attack.

_She did it to herself. She caused her own suffering and forced everyone else to suffer with her._

Of course, had her father shown her love, everyone would be happy, and no one would need to suffer.

_He rejected her, and she went mad because of it._

"I hope he makes you happy, too," Imi had said. "It'd be sad if he didn't."

After long hours watching Imi, Meiru walked home. The PET bounced and bobbed with each step. This motion turned Roll's stomach, and she closed the window on the outside world. What was worse, she couldn't blame her queasiness on a meal or illness, for navis experienced neither of these human peculiarities.

_I feel sick because Imi-chan was so twisted. That must be it._

"I know you care for him," said Imi. "I always knew."

_Was I really that transparent?_

"Roll, are you there?"

"Huh?" Roll hopped to her feet, and Meiru squinted.

"What are you doing?" asked Meiru.

"Nothing," said Roll, "just…thinking."

"I'm going to connect you back to the net now. Are you up for it?"

_I don't know if I feel like browsing the net right now…_

"Netto told me Rockman wants to talk to you."

Flinch. "Rockman does?"

"Yeah, so I'm going to connect you again. Is that okay?"

Roll nodded.

"Are you feeling all right, Roll? Are you still angry with Imi?"

"I…I don't know."

The fiery redhead frowned. "Let me know if you need anything, or if you want to talk after you're done with Rockman."

"Thank you, Meiru-chan."

Meiru simpered, but she said nothing more, and the window closed. As for Roll, she fell back on the floor and gazed at the distant sky. Somewhere above her there was a virtual ceiling, but in the formless swirl of the cyberworld, the distinction between a sky and a ceiling mattered little. The world was the world, and that was that.

_And none of it makes sense anymore. Imi-chan is Echo, Rush is gone, and Rockman…_

A mass of data swarmed together beside her—sky blue squares and rectangles frothed and seethed but refused to coalesce. "Rockman, is that you?"

An image formed from the soup, and Rockman came to life. "Roll-chan!"

_That's right; that's me. I'm your Roll-chan._ She smothered him in her arms and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Is something wrong, Roll-chan?"

"I'm just glad we're both here," she said. "Aren't you?"

"…of course."

Oh, how his touch melted her, his grip firm and sure! In his embrace, she never knew uncertainty or fear, just confidence, warmth, and bliss. To feel his heat through his armor, to brush her face against his skin—

Push. He pushed, lightly, gently, on her shoulder. "Can we talk?"

"Sure, but—"

Too late. He backed out of her arms, but they dangled in air, cold and alone.

"I was thinking about what you said yesterday," he said.

Yesterday? What happened yesterday? Before Imi's rampage, Grove and Egami's deaths?

Oh yes, that's right. _"You're my friend, Roll-chan, and I don't want you to be sad."_

_We're just friends. That's all._ But still, he was coming to make amends, and she could hardly begrudge him that. "I was being a little silly," said Roll. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," said Rockman. "I just…wanted to make sure…"

"Make sure of what?"

"That you were all right, I guess." He laughed his cute, bashful laugh.

And he kept laughing.

Like he didn't want to stop laughing and go on.

"I'm fine, but you seem awfully nervous, Rockman."

"I do?!" He caught himself on the yelp, but his recovery wasn't so smooth. "Er, I mean…I'm not nervous! I'm not nervous at all!"

"What happened? Did you see a ghost?"

"It's not a ghost!" He shivered at even the thought of specters and bumps in the night. "No, it's…Roll-chan, I need your advice."

"Oh. Well, what about?"

"Do you remember what my father was working on?"

"He wanted to bring Masuyo-san back to life for Nakamura-hakase."

"There were two tanks in Papa's lab. One of them was for Masuyo-chan…"

"And the other?"

"For Saito."

For Saito! Well, that did change things. Rockman had told her about finding Saito BAT in his PET a while ago and that he wasn't entirely sure what it was meant for, but up to now, he hadn't made any headway in solving the mystery.

"So Saito-san is a person?" asked Roll.

"Saito is Hikari Saito, Netto-kun's…twin brother."

"Netto-san had a brother? And nobody knew?"

"Only Papa and Mama did. Well, it was in the newspaper, so I guess a lot of people must have known, but Saito died very young—as a baby—so Netto-kun doesn't remember him."

"So Hikari-hakase wants to bring Saito-san back to life?"

"There are a couple problems. Papa saved Saito's mind and converted it to data, and when it looked like he couldn't revive Saito, he…"

"He what? What did he do?"

"Sit down, Roll-chan."

"But—"

"Please." He took her by the hand, and she was powerless to refuse. "You see, Papa took that data and used it to create a navi."

"He did?"

"Yes."

"Where is that navi now?"

Rockman winced. "He gave the navi to Netto-kun."

"To Netto-san?"

"Yes."

Beat.

"Roll-chan?"

Beat.

"Roll-chan!"

She huffed and turned away from him. "_Mou,_ Rockman, you're silly!"

"I'm…what?"

"I know and you know that _you're_ the only navi Netto-san has ever—" Blink. _Rockman is the only navi Netto-san has ever had, so that means…_

"Roll-chan—"

"_You're_ Saito?"

He nodded.

"And Hikari-hakase wants to make you human?"

Another nod.

Somewhere out there, on some metaphysical plane where thoughts and ideas become reality, a glass globe with "Roll's world view" written on it teetered on the edge of a table. Imi's betrayal and insanity chipped and cracked this sphere, but now it tipped over the edge, slammed into a tile floor, and shattered into dozens of prickly fragments.

_He's going to be human. He's going to be human, and…he's going to leave me! He's going to leave me here, and I'll have to watch him, and I'll never be able to touch him—_

"I mean, it's a complicated process," Rockman said, "and there's no guarantee that it'll work. Actually, Papa isn't quite sure what will happen if we run the program, but—"

Roll jumped to her feet. "Then you shouldn't do it! If it's dangerous, you shouldn't do it at all! You should wait; you can wait. You can wait until he figures out a way that is safe, or—"

"Papa's gone to a lot of trouble to prepare a body for me, and he's not sure if more time is going to solve this problem. 'It's completely new territory.' That's what he said."

_But it'll work, and you'll leave me. You'll go to school with Netto-san and Meiru-chan, and I'll have to watch from inside my PET. Will you call me Roll-chan then? Or just Roll, like every other human does?_

"And even if it fails, I'd like to help Papa speed up his research—"

"But what about the Net Saviors?" said Roll. "Who will fight if something new happens? If Dr. Regal comes back from the dead again, or if there's another Echo—"

"Searchman is in Sharo, Blues and Thunderman are working together in Ameroupe, Medi's helping part-time when it doesn't interfere with their pharmaceutical—"

"But none of them are you! None of them can replace you!" She grabbed his hand and pressed it against his chest, his symbol. "How many other navis can do Soul Unisons or Crosses? How many other navis and operators have ever achieved Full Synchro?"

_And how many other navis could I take into my heart?_

"I do worry about that," he said, "but…I should do what I want, right? If Netto-kun wanted to leave the Net Saviors, for instance, I would support him and tell him that he should do only what his heart desires. He enjoys it, I know, but still, if I chose to stay a navi just because I felt I had a responsibility to the Net Saviors, Netto-kun wouldn't like that. I have to do what's in my heart, too."

Tranquil and calm. Water is tranquil and calm. It welled up in Roll's eyes, silent and serene. _Is that all that's in your heart? Is there nothing—no part of it—that belongs to me?_

"I don't know what my heart is telling me to do, but—"

And water flowed in a narrow stream, around her nose and over her lip. "What about _my_ heart?" said Roll. "What am I supposed to do if you're gone?"

"Roll-chan?"

"You're leaving me behind!" she sobbed. "You're leaving me alone!"

"I'd still be around!" said Rockman. "I'm not going anywhere."

"It's not enough!" The floodgates crumbled, and Roll heaved and jerked on the floor. "You can't become human! You just can't."

"Why not? Why are you acting this way?"

"Because!" The shriek, hoarse and shrill, racked her body. "Because if you become human, then we can't be together!"

He froze like an ice cube. Even he couldn't misunderstand that. "Roll-chan!"

Roll's eyes glistened with the wet sheen of her tears. "Don't you love me, Rockman? Don't you want to be with me?"

His muscles petrified; his feet rooted him to the ground. He could speak, yet he couldn't look away. "I…I…"

"Just tell me, Rockman. Tell me, please!"

"I…I…" At last, he summoned the strength. His legs broke free, and he took a step, one step.

One step back.

"No, Rockman, wait!"

He turned and ran. He dematerialized and left her alone.

"Rockman…" She curled into a ball, arms over her knees, as salty water sprinkled on her lap.

—

_Roll-chan…loves me?_

"It doesn't need explaining! It shouldn't!"

_It shouldn't because if I loved her back, I would know. I would've known!_

He turned his palms over. His fingers wavered and trembled.

_With these hands, I touched her. I held her. So many times, and I never knew!_

"Don't you love me, Rockman? Don't you want to be with me?"

_And she cried. She cried because of me. If I become human, how long will she cry? Will she ever be the same?_

The thought cut a hole in his gut. That Roll wept for him, sobbed for him…

…for his love…

_Do I love her? When she's in pain, I'm in pain, and when she's happy, I'm happy. Is that…love?_

"How was your chat with Roll?" asked Netto. "Did she have good advice?"

But now she was standing in his way! Love was supposed to free people, liberate them, but her love was a binding chain. A chain that would keep him from his family, from his brother.

_I didn't want Roll-chan's advice. I wanted her support, so I could make my own decision. Instead, I have to choose between her and Netto-kun. Either way, there will be someone I can't touch…_

"Just tell me, Rockman! Tell me please!"

How could he touch her ever again? How could he accept her tackle-hugs or hold her hand without remembering this night? He was with her nearly every day, and she'd kept this from him!

It would be so easy. He could stay as a navi for her, and neither Netto nor Papa would blame him. Everyone would understand, and Roll would have him from now 'til forever…

Too easy. He'd told Roll exactly what he needed to tell himself now. _I have to do what's in my heart._

And if Roll truly loved him, she would wish for his happiness, wouldn't she? She would want him to follow his heart, just as Netto had encouraged him to.

_And I know what I want to do now. I'm sorry, Roll-chan, but if I chose to stay with you just to make you happy, it would be a lie. I'd be lying to myself and lying to you, and you don't deserve a lie. You don't._

Decision made, consequences be damned. Rockman delved into his PET and found the file his father gave him—this time, in earnest—Saito BAT. He opened the batch file, and his program shut down as the code rewrote him.

_Tomorrow, I'll be ready. Tomorrow, Netto-kun, I can be your brother._

—

"_Don't you love me, Rockman? Don't you want to be with me?"_

"Aah!" Rockman jerked to consciousness, and sweat dripped from his cheeks onto his boots.

_Like Roll-chan's tears._ He shook himself. _Don't think about that. Let's just not think about that._

He turned his hands over, shook his legs, stretched his arms. He certainly seemed to be in one piece. Yuuichirou had warned him that the program could simply fail or that there could be some data loss, but these were acceptable risks. Rockman didn't expect become human without a little pain. He just had to endure it.

_Even if it means hurting Roll-chan._

But his body worked like it always had. In a way, this was distressing. It meant he had nothing to distract him from the events of the night prior. How would he explain this to Roll? How could he tell her that he'd chosen to be human after all…

…and scorned her love?

_I just don't want her to cry, not again. As long as she doesn't cry, everything will be all right. Everything will be fine._

He checked the clock. _07:45. Oh no, Netto-kun won't even wake up for a while; what can I do to distract—_

The brunet boy kicked his sheets away and yawned. _ "Ohayou, nii-san."_

"Netto-kun! You're awake!" _You never wake up this early._

"I can too wake up this early," said Netto, "not that I would like it."

"But why? I didn't even yell through the PET yet."

"I had a strange dream."

"What kind of dream?"

"I dreamed that Roll confessed her love to me!" he said. "Can you believe it?"

"You…what?"

"I was telling her how I wanted to become human—I guess I was you in this dream—and she got all frantic and told me she loved me—er, I mean you, I guess."

Rockman gaped at his brother. _Netto-kun dreamed that? He dreamed what happened between me and Roll-chan?_

"You mean it actually happened?" asked Netto.

"I didn't say anything!"

"Yes you did! You said that I dreamed what happened between you and Roll."

"I didn't say that."

"Yes, you did!"

"I didn't!"

"All right, fine," said Netto, climbing out of bed. "You can pretend you didn't all day if you want." '_Just don't ask me later for advice on what to do about it.'_

"Like you would have advice," said Rockman.

"I didn't say anything!"

"You did! You said I shouldn't ask you for advice!"

The boys glared at each other, but a mutual tingle of dread ran down their spines.

_Can you hear me, Netto-kun?_

'_Can you hear me, nii-san?'_

Pairs of real and digital eyes popped from their sockets.

"AHH!"

**4**

"Ahh!"

Sakurai Meiru tumbled from her bed and bumped her hip on the floor. "Ow! What was that?"

"I think it came from Netto-san's house."

Meiru limped to her feet. On the desk, Roll dangled her legs over the edge and kicked them back and forth.

"How long have you been up?" asked Meiru.

"I didn't sleep."

"Why not?"

"I was cold."

"You can get cold?"

"I can get a lot of things, just like any human could!"

Meiru stared. _What…was that?_

Roll shook with each breath; she exhaled, and the air stuttered out.

"What happened, Roll?"

She swallowed. "It's nothing."

"Is it Imi?"

A shake of the head.

"Well, that's good then. I hoped Rockman wouldn't talk about—"

A squeal. Roll clasped her hands over her mouth, but the muffled cry sounded all the more desperate.

"It has to do with Rockman?"

Nod nod.

"What did he say?"

"He didn't say anything! He said…nothing."

Meiru poked and prodded her navi for answers, but Roll evaded her questions, and with the danger of distressing her further, Meiru dropped the subject for the moment.

_But Netto and Rockman have some explaining to do for this._

Thus, Meiru tapped her foot on her scooter outside Netto's house, but the brunet boy was nowhere to be found.

"Meiru-chan, don't you think we should go?"

At 08:15, it couldn't be helped. If Netto wanted to be absurdly late, that was his prerogative. She would still track him down at school—after all, he sat right behind her.

_Maybe I can get Roll to tell me what happened while we wait for Net—_

Meiru froze; the doorway to classroom 6-A locked her in place. What lay within the classroom could only be described as a gross perversion of reality. Had someone abducted her, taken her to another parallel universe and switched her with her counterpart there? Was this a world where Sakurai Meiru was the one chronically late…

…and Hikari Netto right on time?

"Netto!" Meiru marched to her desk, but the boy sat back with eyes closed. "Netto, wake up!"

His eyes inched open. "I'm awake."

"I thought you were sleeping."

"I've been awake."

"What are you doing here so early?"

"Oh…is it early?"

"For you it is."

"I woke up early."

"You mean you woke up at a normal time."

He laughed. "I guess so."

_Well, other than the earliness, he seems normal enough._ Meiru slid her PET to the corner of her desk. "I think something happened, Netto."

"What happened?"

"Between Rockman and Roll."

Flinch. His teeth clenched; he scratched his head. "What—what makes you think that?"

Meiru narrowed her eyes. "You know about it."

"I don't know what you're talking—hey!"

Meiru leapt from her desk and dragged Netto by the collar to the hallway. "Please, Netto. Roll's been in a daze all morning. What's going on?"

He gazed at the wall.

"Netto?"

Who knew lime green paint could be so fascinating?

"Netto!"

"Eh?" He snapped back to attention, but Meiru was far from satisfied.

"If you won't explain, maybe Rockman will. Rockman!"

The blue navi appeared on Netto's shoulder. "What is it?"

"What did you say to Roll last night?"

"I didn't say anything!"

"He didn't say anything!" said Netto.

"Fine. What _didn't_ you say to Roll?"

The boys winced. "We should really get back inside, Meiru-chan," said Netto, edging toward the door. "I think Mariko-sensei is almost—"

"Oh no you don't!" Meiru pinched his ear, and a sharp yelp of pain echoed through the halls.

_Two_ yelps. On Netto's shoulder, Rockman cradled his ear, even though his helmet blocked any attempt to massage it.

"What—what is this?" said Meiru.

She pulled on Netto's ear again, and Rockman gritted his teeth and groaned. She released, and both boys rubbed their ears to dull the pain.

"What's going on here?" she said. "Netto! Explain!"

—

He explained.

And Meiru hobbled to her seat alone.

"What happened, Meiru-chan?" said Roll, forgetting her melancholy. "You look ill!"

"Netto and Rockman are…are…"

"They're brothers."

"I know that, but that's not the strangest part."

"It isn't?"

Meiru shook her head. She crouched in her seat, so only Roll could hear. "They're _connected_."

"What?"

"Their minds are linked together," said Meiru. "Rockman ran Saito BAT, so he could become human—"

"He—he ran it?"

"Roll—"

"He chose to become human after all," she said. "He—he—"

"Roll, listen—"

She gasped, and an icy chill racked her frame. "He rejected me."

—

Meiru spent the rest of the morning surrounded by zombies. Roll helped take her notes and look up some of the more esoteric concepts covered in Oozono Mariko's lecture on geology and the types of rocks, but beyond these little errands, Roll was mute.

Netto wasn't much better. He cut short his usual banter with Dekao about their next rematch, and rather than nod off through class, he locked his eyes on the board and never looked away.

_Is Rockman telling him to stay awake…in his mind?_

Lunch wasn't as animated as Meiru was accustomed to, either. Most days, Netto devoured his meal and scrubbed his table for crumbs. Today's meal was much more muted, as Netto munched on his sandwich in quiet contemplation, but there was some serene peace about him: he savored every bite and chewed on the bread and meat with delicate passion.

"It's Rockman's first time," he said. "Eating and tasting real food, that is. Don't tell Yaito-chan, but her simulated food chips are nothing like the real thing."

"He can taste what you taste?" asked Meiru.

The boy nodded, and he sipped his milk.

And spat it out.

"Rockman doesn't like milk?" said Meiru.

"I guess not," said Netto.

As Netto partook of all available foods (from wobbly gelatin to snappy carrots) and treated Rockman to the full continuum of flavor, Meiru marveled at their new experience. _They're together in a way Roll and I never could be._ Well, unless they happened to be sisters in secret. _They're together in a way Netto and I never could be, either._

"We've lost them, Meiru-chan," said Roll. "We lost them to each other."

_We've…lost them?_

"Rockman will become Saito, and they won't need or want for anything. They won't need us."

Meiru pushed her lunch tray away and shivered. _Roll told Rockman how she felt, and he didn't feel the same. He chose to be human. Is that what Netto thinks of me? What can I do for him that Rockman can't?_

Zip, zap. The fresh aroma of electrical arcs pervaded the cafeteria, and the overhead lights flickered and wavered.

"What's going on, Meiru-chan?" asked Roll.

"I don't know. Maybe a power outage or—"

"Battle Chip: Volcano Cannon, slot-in!" Netto sat before a holographic screen, on which Rockman blasted a gaggle of viruses.

_How did he plug-in so fast?_

"Battle Chip: Custom Sword, slot-in!" The orange edge of the Custom Sword sliced through an army of Mettools. Rockman slashed at dragon wings, pounced on walking trees and severed their branches.

"Come on, Roll," Meiru said. "We can help Netto."

"You think they need help?"

"Battle Chip: Soul Unison – Blues Soul, slot-in!" Behind a green eye shield, Rockman devastated his enemies in the wake of a Sonic Boom, but a new battalion of Mettools spawned and slammed their picks into the ground. Rockman tumbled backward and skidded on the floor.

"Agh!" Netto doubled over; his face scrunched and tightened, and his teeth gnashed together. The PET dropped from his hands and clunked on the table.

"Netto!" Meiru lunged to his side and propped him up over her shoulder. "Netto, what happened? Netto!"

"Netto-kun, are you all right?" asked Rockman. "Netto-kun—argh!"

"Argh!" The boy thrashed in her arms. He panted and groaned, but Meiru's grip never slipped.

"Netto-kun!" said Rockman. "Netto-kun, focus!" On the net, Rockman diced his enemies with businesslike precision, but his reactions slowed, and the viruses piled up around him, enclosed him in a circle five ranks deep. Sonic Booms eliminated a dozen at a time, but the ring shrunk…

"Rockman…" Netto fished his pockets for a chip, but the Long Sword chip shook between his fingers and hit the tile floor.

_They feel each other's pain. Rockman can't concentrate while Netto's in pain, and Netto…Netto needs my help!_ She turned her PET over in her hands. Just where could she plug-in…?

The legions piled on top of Rockman, buried him in their shovels and picks. "Netto-kun! Netto-kun, you can hear me! Netto-kun! Netto-kun!"

Netto trembled, but he jerked his body to compliance. "Battle Chip—"

"Heart Slash!" The hearts obliterated the Mettools, freeing Rockman from their assault. The lights returned, and Netto collapsed to his seat, exhausted.

"Are you all right, Netto?" asked Meiru.

"I don't know," he said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "We can't do this, not like this."

In the cyberworld, Rockman and Roll faced off at a distance.

"Thank you, Roll-chan," Rockman stammered.

Her eyes studied him head to toe, but she said nothing.

"About last night—"

"You made a choice!" she blurted out. "You…you made a choice, and I understand it."

"You do?"

She nodded. Just how many nods were enough she couldn't seem to decide. "I do, and I hope—"

"Roll-chan—"

"I hope you're happy together!"

"Roll-chan, wait!"

She dematerialized—retreated to Meiru's PET, and Meiru and Netto's fellow classmates picked at their meals and chattered away, like nothing had even happened.

**5**

After school, Rockman and Netto disappeared before Meiru even had a chance to catch them. It was only on the way home, when Meijin called, that she learned the boys were at the Ministry of Science, with their father.

"Do you know?" asked Meiru. "Did anyone tell you?"

"Hikari-hakase filled me in on his project," said Meijin. "As it is, he should be fired for using Ministry resources for such a thing, but he's also the most brilliant mind we have here. As it is, I'm sure there will be some punishment, but it won't be too bad."

"What about Netto?"

"It will take some time," Meijin said. "We can't even begin to figure out how this happened or how to fix it."

And unfortunately for Meiru, there was no going home yet, nor could she go to Netto and keep him company through this bizarre ordeal. Instead, at Meijin's request, she rolled across town on her scooter and parked outside an oaken two-story home.

_So this is where they lived._

Wooden planks bent under her weight. She ascended the stairs and shined her PET's laser at a panel beside the door. The deadbolt gave way, and a creaking hinge greeted Meiru upon her entrance to the Nakamura home.

It was dark—uncommonly dark. Thick curtains blocked the windows. Meiru flipped a switch, and a ceiling fan and light sparked to life, illuminating three chairs around a circular table.

_The dinner table._

She traced her finger over the stained wood and picked up a trail of dust. She rubbed it between her fingers, and it fell away.

"Where do you think the computer is?" asked Roll.

Not here. Not among the drip-drip-drip of a leady faucet or the lonely hum of a refrigerator. Nor among a purple velvet sofa and armchairs that sat around the television set.

"Upstairs," said Meiru. "Let's go."

And so Meiru ascended into the darkness, where still air brushed her face and old floor boards creaked and squeaked.

"If Rockman were here, he'd be afraid," Roll said. "He'd think there might be a ghost."

Meiru smiled. Rockman's phobia for ghosts and the occult was hardly his strong suit, but it was also endearing. He could stand up to great cyber-monsters ten times his size and also cower before simple viruses covered in white sheets if they acted spooky enough.

Especially if they said something along the lines of "oooOOOoooOOOooo."

"I wonder if that's why he's afraid of ghosts," said Roll.

"What is?"

"Because he was born human."

"That would make sense, wouldn't it."

"It would."

At the top of the stairs, Meiru peered down both ends of a hallway. This time, she jiggled the light switch up and down with no results, so she ventured forth into the unknown. After all, neither direction would make much difference, would it?

"I hope it was brighter when they lived here," said Roll.

"I think it was. If no one's been here for months, things can break down while they're gone. Meijin-san said Nakamura-hakase was living in an apartment and not here, even though he still owns the house."

"Why do you think he did that, Meiru-chan?"

The redhead poked a door open, leading to a bedroom. "He didn't want to be here."

And it was little wonder why. Meiru switched on a lamp, and a den of wild beasts cornered her. Their fur sparkled and glittered; their eyes shone and gleamed.

"Stuffed animals!" said Meiru. "So many!"

The toys stacked atop each other in a pyramid on a four-post bed. On the walls, pencil sketches depicted the life of the inhabitant: some were of buildings (most had ambulances passing in the foreground), others of people (men with clipboards and pens and stethoscopes, nurses with needles and gauze and dinner trays). The wall told a story in ambiguous order. Meiru followed the tale back in time, where the drawings showed not doctors and orderlies but people—people from her life. Children hung on monkey bars and pulled themselves from end to end. Teachers scribbled on whiteboards and called for cease-fires in spitball wars.

But elsewhere on the walls, there was one spot where four special sketches resided. One for a woman, with short, dark hair and a wide smile. She dangled a paintbrush over canvass, and drops of paint hit the floor.

Another was a man. He toiled over a keyboard; his labcoat was open, and his glasses were folded on the desk.

A third was the artist herself. She drew herself in the mirror. Her hair flowed into her lap, and she studied her sketchpad. Though the image on the pad was incomplete, she smiled, pleased with her work, yet she had only completed the steel frame of her wheelchair and the spokes of the wheels themselves.

The fourth was, perhaps, the most haunting. It looked innocent enough, with a PET in the background and a navi projected into life. The navi's image was caught in mid-air; her skirt flared as she fell, but her face was bright with delight, and she waved her arms over her head, as if to get someone's attention.

"She was calling to her," Roll said.

"To who?"

"She was calling to Masuyo-san."

But there was still a fourth wall, where the lines were jagged and rough, the proportions strained and distorted. The images were unintelligible, and soon enough, the chaos gave way to a single blank page.

"Meiru-chan, look."

Just inside the door there was a mahogany desk. A wheelchair parked in front of it, and a notepad flipped open to an empty page.

"He left the desk the way she left it," said Meiru.

But there was one more thing. Solid white, with green borders, it bore a symbol on the button: a blue square on a red disk, with a white diagonal stripe.

"It's right where she said it was," Roll said. "Right where her father abandoned her."

Meiru tinkered with the PET, but the screen was blank and unlit. "I think the battery's dead. We should take this, though. Meijin-san might find something useful about Imi on it."

"You know, this is what Imi-chan's mistake was."

"What?"

"She hung on to her father; she rested all her hopes on him, but he already made the choice to leave her. She just couldn't accept it."

"Roll, please don't be like that."

"I won't make that mistake. I won't end up like Imi-chan."

—

With a PET on one side of him and his younger son on the other, Yuuichirou showed Netto a playing card.

"It's the Jack of Clubs, Papa," said Rockman.

He swiveled and drew another card from the deck, this time for Rockman.

"Seven of Hearts," said Netto.

Yuuichirou tossed the cards away and rubbed his head. "This is a disaster!" he said. "Nothing short of a disaster!"

"It's not your fault, Papa," said Rockman. "I shouldn't have run the program so soon."

Well, there was that, but Yuuichirou could hardly blame him for wanting to become human. "I should've known better than to give you the program before it was fully understood."

Despite a steady exchange of self-blame musical chairs, Yuuichirou scanned and poked his sons, looking for some clue that might show him how to reverse this "link," as Netto and Rockman came to call it, but the sheer magnitude of the link proved to be its most disturbing feature. His boys shared thoughts, feelings, and sensations in their full glory, as if they'd experienced them personally. He flipped a card at Rockman, and Netto spotted the grease stain over the center heart and the bend in the top-right corner.

"Perhaps another batch program would be able to reverse the effects," Meijin suggested. "If we could revert Rockman's code to its original configuration…"

So Yuuichirou toiled over a new program for hours. Saito BAT had been the product of weeks of effort; to undo it in a single day—it trivialized his work. _It's like everything we've worked for up to now was for nothing._

It was a sentiment compounded when he applied and it halted mid-execution.

"I don't understand it, hakase," said Meijin. "Why would the reversion program fail?"

"Rockman and Netto are one system now," said Yuuichirou. "The program I wrote assumed Rockman could be affected in isolation, but they can't. They share everything." _And how in this world can I fix that?_

After burning most of the afternoon on the rewrite, Yuuichirou had to do without Meijin's assistance. Meiru and Roll arrived with some data from Nakamura's home about Imi, as well as her PET, and Meijin had to leave to analyze this data and subdue the other scientists. A pity, for the younger man thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle of Netto and Rockman's link, despite its perverse effects. No doubt he would've approached the problem of reviving Saito with similar gusto.

_I should have brought him in sooner. He could've been very helpful; I just didn't want anyone to know, to find me and find out about this…_

But Nakamura found him. Yuuichirou wondered how he found him, but then, a man desperate enough would find him regardless of what measures he took. Nakamura wanted his daughter to live, just like Yuuichirou did for his son.

_He ran away, though. Who knows where he's gone. He's probably out of the country, fleeing from his legacy, fleeing from _her_._

He abandoned his own navi—his daughter's navi—and why? Did she remind him of Masuyo? Did she imitate his flesh-and-blood daughter to better become a virtual one?

_He's lucky. He gets to run away from his problems; I don't._

"It's all right, Papa," his boys said. "We're sure you'll figure something out."

_And now my sons can literally complete each other's sentences. I can pinch one of them, and the other will cry out in pain. They're fused together like two-headed, Siamese—_

"Hikari-hakase!" An assistant bolted through the door to Yuuichirou's new lab, panting. "Hikari-hakase, quickly! Echo's broken from her restraints!"

"What? Where is she now?"

"She's still inside the Deconstruction Device, but she's got a navi hostage!"

"Who is it?" asked Netto.

"It's…the one with the antennae that go around her head like this…"

"Roll-chan!" Rockman said. "Hurry, Netto-kun! We have to save Roll-chan!"

Netto tucked his PET into its shoulder strap and dashed through the door.

"Wait, Netto!" Yuuichirou said. "We're not finished!"

But the boy sprinted up the steps, out of sight, and Yuuichirou sank in his chair. _Can they even battle in this condition? If they feel each other's pain…_

—

"Why do you want to talk to her, Roll?" asked Meiru.

"Because," said Roll. "If she can learn to let go, then…then maybe I can, too."

That would have to do. Meiru cut off her PET from the net once more, leery of giving Imi a means of escape, and plugged Roll into the system. In the narrow cage of the Deconstruction Device, a dozen bars of purple flame erupted around Imi, and Roll materialized in the prison.

"Roll-san!" Imi ran to the bars but steered clear of their incendiary touch. "Roll-san, please! I need to see my papa! Where did Papa go?"

"Your papa is gone, Imi-chan."

"He's…gone?"

"He left the city," said Roll. "He's gone."

"Papa…where did you go, Papa?" Imi asked the floor.

"I think you should let him go, Imi-chan."

"Let him go?"

"I wanted to help you; _Rockman_ and I wanted to help you. If you'd let him go, we could have, I'm sure of it."

"You and Rockman-san can't replace Papa!" Imi said. "Papa is Papa. There's no one else who understands what I am."

"But he made his choice," Roll said, "and he should've chosen you, I know. If he had, none of this would've happened, but…he didn't, Imi-chan. You have to accept that."

"Why should I?" asked Imi. "Why do you deny me hope, Roll-san? Would you give up on Rockman-san so easily?"

"I have, Imi-chan."

"You what?"

"Rockman didn't choose me, either."

"I don't understand."

"Rockman had two choices: to stay as a navi and be with me or to become human and go with Netto-san…as his brother."

"And Rockman-san didn't choose you?"

Roll pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"But that's crazy!" said Imi. "Rockman-san cares about you; I know he does! When he fought me after I hurt you, he was so angry. He used your power—the Roll Soul—against me. He fought for _you_, Roll-san. Not for Rouletteman or Grove. He fought for you."

"He fights for everyone, Imi-chan, not just me."

"That's not true. Go back to him; talk to him. I think—"

"No, Imi-chan, it's over," said Roll. "I won't hang on to him like you hung on to your father."

"What are you saying?"

"He doesn't love me. I asked him point-blank, and he ran from me, just like your father ran from you."

"Rockman-san and Papa aren't the same!"

Roll stomped her foot on the floor. "You said so yourself: they are the same! Neither of us will be happy if we hang on to them! We have to…" She peeled away. It was easy enough to tell Imi to do it, but to say it herself—it would be final. There would be no retraction, no twisting of meaning. If she said those words, she would have to stick to them.

"Roll-san…"

"We have to let go," Roll said. "I loved Rockman, but I can't chase him anymore. He's made his choice, and I…"

She gulped. Maybe if she closed her eyes and just blurted it out, it would be easier. The vowels would fly on the air, and the consonants would hop off her lips.

"I will move on."

"No, Roll-san!" said Imi. "You shouldn't!"

"I should!" said Roll. "I should, and I have, and you should too!"

"No! I can't give up on Papa; I won't!"

"I know his leaving hurt you," said Roll. "When Rockman ran away from me, it hurt too, but we can't dwell on pain, Imi-chan. We have to let it go."

"You don't know my pain," said Imi. "You don't know what it's like to have the only person who can make you better forsake you. You don't know what it means to think and feel for yourself when tens and hundreds of voices shout at you—when they all call for blood!"

Roll clenched her hands beside her and towered over Imi. "You think I don't know it?" she said. "I cried. I cried for Rockman. So many times I've cried for him, seen him with other navis like Medi or that Aki-chan or Grove. I loved him, but it wasn't a warm feeling. It made me afraid. It made me jealous. It made me want to rip those girls apart for being close to him! Isn't that how you felt, Imi-chan? Those navis—those voices—they weren't just antagonizing you. They kept you from your father, and that's why you had to destroy them."

Imi yanked on her own hair and growled. "You don't understand! You _can't_ understand! This isn't about anyone else; this is about my papa! This is my papa, and I will NOT GIVE UP ON PAPA!"

Imi panted, and her tears fizzled in the purple flames of her confinement. Roll knelt beside the bars and leaned down to look at Imi's face. "Then help me understand," said Roll. "I tried to help you before; let me try again now."

"There's only one way you could possibly understand, Roll-san."

"How?"

"This!" She lunged through the bars, and her fingers caught Roll's wrist.

"What are you doing?" said Roll. "Let me go!"

'_They were right all along, Roll-san. You're no better than the others. Your anger, your fear—they had that, too.'_

"Imi-chan?" Roll struggled against her grip, but the little squirt locked her in place and wouldn't budge. "What do you mean, Imi-chan?"

"You wanted to understand," said Imi. "Now you can."

'_Echo, Echo, Echo…'_

"What is this?" said Roll. "What is that?"

"They are my choir. They talk to me when all else is silent."

'_ECHO, ECHO, ECHO!'_

"Stop it!" Roll jammed her free hand over her ears, but the choir's chant pervaded her thoughts. "Stop it!"

"I thought you wanted to understand," said Imi. "We haven't even begun yet."

'_You're weak!' 'You're a monster!' 'Let me go!'_

"No!" Roll said. "Make it stop, please!"

"I thought that many times," said Imi. "So many times."

'_DO YOU THINK WE WILL GO QUIETLY? DO YOU THINK WE WILL BE SILENT WHEN YOU KILL US?'_

"Will you be silent, Roll-san?" asked Imi. "Will you be silent when I kill you?"

—

"Meiru-chan!"

"Netto!" The fiery redhead clung to him. "It's terrible, Netto! I can't plug-out; I slotted-in some chips, but they were useless against her! She's torturing Roll! Please, do something!"

"Let's go, Netto-kun!" said Rockman. "Hurry!"

"Right! Plug-in, ! Transmission!"

And Rockman materialized to a weak scream. With the bars of fire extinguished, Imi towered over a prone, helpless Roll, who shook and hollered as waves of agony carried through their Imi's hand into Roll's arm.

"Please, Imi-chan, stop! Sto—ahh!"

"Imi-chan, enough!" said Rockman. "Why are you doing this? Why are you hurting Roll-chan?"

"She wanted to understand pain," said Imi. "The kind you gave her wasn't good enough."

Rockman gritted his teeth. "Rockbuster!" The buster bolts splashed on a Dream Aura, and Imi continued her torture unhindered.

"Battle Chip: Neo Variable Sword, slot-in!"

Rockman leapt high and came down with sword swinging, but Imi's free hand morphed into a Paladin Sword, and she parried the attack. "You shouldn't be fighting me," Imi said. "You hurt Roll-san more than I ever could."

"Shut up!" He swiped low, but Imi dragged Roll's body into the blade's path. Rockman dug the Neo Variable into the floor, and it wobbled and stuck just a hair's breadth from Roll's knees.

"I'm sorry, Rockman-san," said Imi, "but there's not much more I can show her." Her sword dissipated, and a Mach Burst tossed Rockman across the room. He thudded on the far wall.

"Agh!" Netto fumbled his PET, and Meiru caught him; he sagged in her arms.

"Netto! Hold on, Netto!"

Roll wept at Imi's feet. "Please, Imi-chan…please let me go."

"You know it doesn't work like that," Imi said.

Netto shook off his daze. "We have to stop Echo," he said, climbing to his feet. "We have to…for Roll." He pulled three chips from his collection and fanned them out between his fingers. "Battle Chip: Spread Gun, triple—"

"Super Vulcan." The yellow rounds peppered Rockman, and in the real world, each impact jolted Netto as well. The chips flew from his hands and scattered on the floor.

"Goodbye, Roll-san." The Super Vulcan disappeared and gave way to a simple blue cannon.

The Rockbuster.

"No, Imi-chan—Imi-chan—"

Pink and purple light streamed into the mouth of the barrel. "Charge Shot."

"ROLL-CHAN!"

PEW! Roll disappeared in debris and smoke. Rockman tore through the clouds. Imi opened her hand, and Roll's arm thumped on the floor. "Roll-chan, hold on! Roll-chan!"

But her feet were already gone. They fragmented, and their particles wisped through the air.

"You're still connected to the net, Rockman-san."

He shook her; he picked her up and carried her in his arms, but that loosed even more of her data. The line ran up her legs. Her shins and knees disintegrated. Her thighs, her hips…

"Roll-san was wrong to tell me to forget Papa. Now I can find him, and he'll take me back." Imi opened a Rush Hole and dropped into it, but Rockman paid her no heed.

"Roll-chan, say something! Roll-chan!"

Her chest, her arms—all turned to dust. He opened her eyelids. "Look at me, Roll-chan! Can you hear me?"

He let go, and her eye snapped shut.

"Roll-chan, I…I…"

Her head, her antennae burned away, and Rockman's arms cradled empty space.

**6**

Beep-beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep-click!

Sakurai Meiru sat on the edge of her bed and studied the pink and white case. The screen was empty, but Meiru smeared her thumb over the screen.

"Don't do that, Meiru-chan!" Roll would say. "It's frightening to see your fingers that close!"

But now, the speakers were silent, just like Echo always wanted.

Meiru resisted the silence. Her fingers wandered the notes of the octave, and she collected them, organized them into a melody—her melody.

_If you feel pain or sorrow, sing this song and you'll forget. I sing it now, my darling; this is my own death lament._

Puh-link! Her pinky slipped off the chord, and a dissonant tone reverberated through the house. The melody was broken, and Meiru banged out the cacophonic combination of notes, for music was not enough to defeat the silence: only noise—chaotic, unorganized noise, could hope to drive it away.

But even noise dies. All sound dies and gives way to silence. All sound dies…

Ding-dong!

Even the ring of the doorbell dies. It fades to nothing, and if you wait long enough, you can forget that anyone's at the door, that there's a world outside, where people shovel rice into their mouths, doodle in notebooks, and whisper in each other's ears. We eat, we think, we love, but eventually, we all sleep, we all—

"Netto?"

The boy hovered in the doorway. "Good morning, Meiru-chan."

"Good morning. Shouldn't you be off to school soon?"

"I wanted to see how you were doing."

"Oh, I'm fine!" said Meiru. "Totally fine. I should even come to school today. Even though Mariko-sensei wanted to give me the day off, it's not that—"

"Meiru-chan."

"What? You don't think I'm all right?"

"You're rubbing Roll's screen."

Her thumb twitched. She lifted it, and her fingerprint remained, almost like it was hers, but it wasn't. Even though Roll's colors decorated the PET, though Meiru bore that emblem above her ear, this PET was not hers. Without Roll, it was merely a box of wires and batteries. There was no life to it, no heart…

Drip. A water droplet splashed on the screen, and Meiru swirled it around the corners with her finger. Drip, drip. They bombarded the metal case and gummed up the cracks. Their reach was limitless, their source unending. Meiru's vision blurred; she closed her eyes, and the streams down her face pulsed with a new wave of tears.

"I'm sorry."

"No, Netto, don't…" She dried her face with her sleeve and shook off his apology. "Don't be sorry; it's not your fault."

"Rockman blames himself," said the boy. "He dreamed about it. He's dreaming about it right now. If he'd done something different—if _we'd_ done something different—"

"Imi killed Roll," said Meiru. "Not you, not Rockman."

"I could ask Papa to make you a new navi!" said Netto. "She wouldn't be like Roll, but—"

"Another navi?" Meiru shuddered at the thought. "No one can replace Roll! She was my closest friend! She did everything for me and never complained—well, not too much. She had such wild fantasies; she told me about them, you know, and I thought they were a little strange, but they were cute, and they were innocent! Like when Trill was still a baby, she dreamed about tending a garden with Rockman and Trill like a family. Did you know that, Netto? She wanted love—his love! She wanted it so much…" She collapsed against the doorframe, and her sobs erupted. "Oh Roll! I hope you can be happy now! I hope…I hope…"

"Meiru-chan…"

"Will you hold me, Netto? Will you make me forget that she's gone, just for a second?"

He didn't have to say yes. She leapt into his arms and smothered him, but rather than tense up or retreat, he patted her back to comfort her, soothe her. "I wish…I wish there were more I could do for you, Meiru-chan."

She closed her eyes and rested her head against his. "We've been friends for too long, Netto."

"What?"

"There were two things that were important to me," said Meiru. "One of them is gone now, but the other is still here. The other is still here, and I don't want to let go of him; I can't let go, not now."

"I don't understand."

"You don't need to respect me, Netto, not anymore."

"But Meiru-ch—" She squeezed him tighter and cut off his air.

"Please, Netto," she said. "Can you do that for me?"

"I will," he said. "I will, Meiru."

"Thank you." She hugged him once more and returned to the door. "Will you come by after school? I want to have a service, I think, for Roll. We could plan it together."

"…sure."

"Okay. See you this afternoon?"

"Yeah."

She shut the door and brushed off Roll's screen. "It's all right with you, isn't it? I know what Rockman did, but Netto and Rockman aren't the same, and…"

She trailed off; the silence interrupted her. She peeked outside, where Netto skated down the street for school.

"Maybe Netto can do what Rockman couldn't. I don't know, but…I hope."

—

The boy in the blue bandana sailed over concrete seams and darted around mailboxes.

_Poor Meiru-ch—_

He shook his head.

_Poor Meiru. I hope she'll be all right._

'_She's just Meiru now?'_

Netto's heart plummeted to the ground. He swerved and stumbled on his skates. He caught a lamppost to steady himself, but the world warped around him. The trees and flowers withered and died, and the sun seared him and pumped rage into his veins, but most of all, there was one image that rewound through his mind.

"Charge Shot."

And she crumbled; she crumbled in his arms and swirled away.

'_We can't give up on her, Netto-kun.'_

_What do you mean, nii-san? What…what is—_

'_Echo! We have to stop Echo!'_

_Echo's gone, remember?_

A holographic screen popped up in front of him. Between skyscrapers, a foreign police force peppered the white navi in bullets, but a wave from her fingertips upended their patrol cars, and she walked off screen.

'_She's in Ameroupe. She's looking for her father, and she will destroy everything until she does.'_

_Enzan's in Ameroupe, right? With Raoul? Let them—_

'_THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH! They don't know Echo like we do! She's going to hurt more people, more navis, before she can be stopped again!'_

_I don't know, nii-san. I'm worried about Meiru. If we go fighting Echo again—_

'_This isn't about you and Meiru-chan!'_

_But she's my friend!_

'_Are you sure that's all she wants to be? She wants you to call her Meiru now, and you are.'_

_What are you saying?_

'_Maybe she has a secret just like Roll-chan did.'_

_That's impossible. This is Meiru we're talking about._

'_She's always touching you, isn't she? Hugging you? She hugged you just now; I see it in your mind.'_

She hugged him, and it was warm and soft. Even when she squeezed him, she needed it. She needed his comfort, and how could he say no to that? How could he refuse to comfort his neighbor, his friend…

…his lover?

'_She's in danger, Netto-kun.'_

Danger? How could she be in danger?

'_She's in danger as long as Echo's alive. We're all in danger. Echo will kill anyone.'_

_Then I should stay here! I should stay here and protect her!_

'_We have to delete her, Netto-kun! We have to hunt her down and stop her! We have to stop her for Roll-chan's sake!'_

_But nii-san—_

'_If you want to protect Meiru-chan, you'll do this, Netto-kun.'_

"Charge Shot."

And she crumbled; she crumbled in his arms, but this time, it wasn't Roll's pink armor and yellow antennae. It was a girl: a girl in ruby shoes and black stockings, a pink skirt and a blue vest…

…and fiery red hair.

He called to her; he screamed her name. "Meiru, say something! Meiru!"

'_We need to go, Netto-kun. We need to protect the ones we love. Protect them…and avenge them.'_

Netto clung to the lamppost and panted. His eyes darted; she wasn't there. It wasn't real, but it could've been. It could've been. "_Hai, nii-san_," he said. "Let's go."

—

Meiru spent her day off from school planning Roll's funeral. It was quite unusual, she found out, to have a service for a net navi, but it could be practically unheard of for all she cared. She was having a funeral. She would remember her friend and celebrate her life, and that was that.

She wanted to hold the service in the park in Internet City, where Roll and her friends enjoyed many memories, but it was only recently rebuilt; Meiru and the Net Saviors destroyed it, after all, to stop Echo.

The specter of Echo loomed over the day as municipalities worldwide went on alert for her presence, but thus far she'd only shown her face in Ameroupe.

_Her father must be there. She's chasing him._

Despite that sorry news, Meiru followed her list of things to do for Roll. All her friends would be invited, of course—Glyde, Gutsman, Iceman, Aquaman, Numberman.

Rockman.

_I hope he doesn't blame himself. Roll wouldn't want him to, even…even though he hurt her._

She wanted to talk more with Netto after school: they had plans to make, after all, and she wanted to see how Rockman was holding up, but the Hikari boys never showed. _Must've gone straight home._ And if Netto didn't want to drop by, then she wouldn't sully herself by crawling to his house and begging him to see her.

_I should've known he'd never change._

But afternoon turned to evening, and Meiru gazed out her window at Netto's, but his room was devoid of activity. Just where had he gone?

And evening turned to night. Meiru had to talk to someone. She called Yaito. "Oh, that Netto!" she griped. "He promised to come by to help me come up with ideas for Roll's funeral, but he never showed up!"

"Netto didn't show up at school, either," said Yaito. "Mariko-sensei thought maybe he was with you."

"What do you mean he didn't go to school? He came by my house before school started; it's not like he slept through it."

"Nobody's seen him all day, Meiru-chan. Nobody except you."

Meiru gaped at the screen. "What's going on here…?"

Ding-dong!

"Sorry, Yaito-chan, let me get that." _That better not be him. If it's him, I'm going to thrash him; I swear, that Netto! Skipping school _and_ skipping on me? He's got a lot of nerve to—_

"Good evening, Meiru-chan."

What stood before her was a Hikari all right, but not the one she expected. Hikari Haruka crossed her arms behind her back and shivered in the night's air.

"Oh, good evening, oba-san! How are you?"

"I'm well, thank you, but I was looking for Netto. Have you seen him?"

_She's looking for Netto? His own mother doesn't know where he is?_ "I haven't seen him since this morning."

"I got a call from sensei saying that he was absent from school, but he hasn't been home all day. I thought he might be over here."

_Right now I wish he were._

It wasn't long before the police arrived at Netto's home. Yuuichirou returned from the Ministry of Science—he had no clue of Netto's whereabouts either. "He's not on a mission for the Net Saviors," said the father, "I'm sure of that."

Through her window, blue and red lights flashed across Meiru's face. _Where did you go, Netto? Why did you leave me now?_

She looked at the television, which was still stuck on the news. Footage of Echo's destruction in Ameroupe topped the headlines even this late hour.

And Meiru gasped. _He's gone to Ameroupe. He's gone after Echo. He went after Echo, and he didn't tell anyone—not his parents, not me._

A pillar of spikes split a busy street and impaled passing cars.

_Foolishly chasing Echo like this; he's crazy!_

Twin red eyes lit up the screen.

_He's going to get himself hurt, or…_

Meiru took out her PET and wiped the screen again. "What should I do, Roll? I can't bear to lose Netto, not after losing you."

The PET was silent.

"I see," said Meiru. "That's what I'll do then." She raced upstairs and pulled a suitcase from the closet. She emptied her wardrobe and stuffed all she could into the bag.

_I'm coming for you, Netto. Please, wait for me._

—

But he didn't wait.

On the streets of Ameroupe, a boy with a blue bandana walked alone. The wind caressed his face; the sun warmed his skin. He reveled in the sensations of the world around him, for his was new to its pleasures, but those joys barely softened his grief and rage. He was a boy with a purpose, with a mission of his own. He was not Hikari Netto, though many would mistake him so.

He was Hikari Saito.

**End of Part One**


	11. Author's Afterword, Part 1

With Echo on the loose again, Rockman pushes the limits of his bond with Netto to pursue her. Meiru, devastated and alone, searches for Netto to hold her life together, and Imi struggles against another voice, one that refuses to be silent. The adventure continues in _Remnants_, the conclusion to _Echoes_, and chapter ten, "Meiru's Quest," coming soon.

**Afterword, Part One**

It all started with _Noein_.

I've watched Sci-Fi channel for many years, mostly for such things like _Stargate SG-1_ or _Battlestar Galactica_, and wouldn't you know it, I heard they would have an "Ani-Monday" promotion. At first, this did not impress me, but then again, there's not usually much to do at eleven o'clock at night. I was willing to give it a shot.

_Noein_, for those unfamiliar (which I expect to be…nearly everybody), is probably what happens when a quantum physicist meets Salvadore Dali (you know, the melting clocks guy). Just what any good physics major likes to see, isn't it? Naturally I would pick apart the scientific inaccuracies as I could—not because they detracted from the story (inconsistency detracts from stories much more, in my opinion) but because…well, it's fun.

_Noein_ is a good show, though, an intriguing story in both philosophical and personal terms, and I will say I wished for there to be more development between Haruka, the protagonist, and Yuu (yes, Haruka and Yuu, this is not a joke), but then again, the foundation for the relationship was there…and explored in parallel universes ("timespaces") well enough.

What _Noein_ did for me, though, was get me to delve back into the world of anime. Truth be told, it was a class of work I'd only brushed upon in my younger days, mostly due to a one-time religious ritual to watch Kids' WB on Saturday mornings. _Pokemon_ and _Yu-Gi-Oh!_ kept me entertained for many a morning, along with, of course, _Megaman NT Warrior_.

It took me a while to revisit that subject in particular. I started with _Cardcaptor Sakura_, emptying my mind of the corruption that was the English dub and replacing it with subtitles of the original Japanese. I won't say dubs are inherently inferior forms—for instance, I watched both subtitles and the dubs of _Chobits_, and I felt the dubs were very true to the original. There's more to what we say than the content, though. There's rhythm and cadence, emphasis and stress. Though I've written in English for _Echoes_ (and that's about the only thing I could write in), I tend to imagine, however inaccurately, the rhythm of how characters speak, how the dialogue I've written might sound in Japanese—not in so many _words_, but in terms of the quality of it, the feeling of it. And perhaps there is some illusion here: very little sounds unusual in itself, to me at least, in Japanese, while a bad voice actor can easily kill the rhythm of the moment for me in English.

I worked my way through _Cardcaptor Sakura_ and moved on to _Chobits_, then _Angelic Layer_ (yes, I said, "Hey, why not try some other CLAMP stuff?"). _Chobits_ probably appealed to me most in the intellectual sense; that they balanced this with a very personal journey, for both Hideki (sound familiar?) and Chii, was a very artistic touch. _Angelic Layer_, too, had its moments, particularly Misaki's reunion with…someone very dear to her…but on the whole, while that had been an undercurrent for the whole series, there was, in my opinion, too much tease and not enough payoff, not to mention a lack of other compelling storylines.

But after _Angelic Layer_, I happened to remember a tale of a world in the year "200X," where people of all ages had their own personal navigator programs, which they could use to fight for sport…or for the sake of humankind. That's when I reentered the world of _Rockman EXE_.

To this day I'm still delving into it, mostly at the speed of translation, but also limited by…shall we say, "storage constraints." Needless to say, when I bought a new laptop nine months ago, I did not anticipate I would need so much room for "original Japanese DVDs." Yes, that's it. That's why my 80 GB hard drive is too small, yes.

Perhaps to overcompensate for my incomplete knowledge, I've paid extreme attention to detail—maybe too much attention—but I also feel that details and history are what make characters who they are. We are products of our pasts, after all, and though it's tempting to neglect the past in order to make a character fit the needs of the present, I like to think the past is what drives the character in the present.

—

But enough about petty background. Let's talk about _Echoes_.

It began as a nice little fluff story called "Masquerade dot com" with the two elements unique to _Echoes_: Imi, a navi who could imitate and would hear voices whenever she touched someone, and Hideki, her father, who booted her out after his daughter, Masuyo, passed away. As I said, it was a fluff story. Imi was a simple hostess at a masquerade club, where she could harness her abilities to disguise navis, and Rockman and Roll would casually meet at this club and discuss their problems with each other, naturally not realizing who they're talking to. Even Netto and Meiru got in on the fun, sending each other letters under pseudonyms. A beautiful story.

A beautifully confused story.

_Echoes_ never would have been born if it hadn't been for FFN's policy not to accept submissions from newly registered users. In that waiting period, I sat on my piece—a story of roughly 14,000 words—and decided it was…not enough. I shelved it and returned to my work of original fiction (also a novel; the style of _Echoes_ is very similar to it, but the subject matter is…a touch different).

My original work was slowly creeping to a halt, however, and I found myself more and more distracted by watching _Rockman EXE_ as I could manage. I'd also begun to read about publishing and structuring (as my original work had, in fact, gone so far as to complete the first third of a trilogy, and I seriously considered publishing that before the whole work was finished). That's when I met Randy Ingermanson's "snowflake method." (Google this if you're interested.) It promised to be a methodical means of organizing a novel or helping to rewrite it. Though most of my original work was already outlined to some extent, I felt like I could use a good chance to test this method and make it my own.

And thus, _Echoes_ was born.

Ingermanson's snowflake method is an iterative process, with each step building on the last. One builds the higher structure of the novel and progressively fills in more and more detail, with an equal emphasis on characters and plot. After disregarding some of my natural instincts (I tend to build small scenes that capture what I want and work the plot around them), I found it very useful for structuring this work, and it's interesting to see how it's evolved, as each step in the process is a modification of the last.

Indeed, the original rough outlines for _Echoes_ only bear some resemblance to the final, scene-by-scene outline, and more than that, as I write each chapter, I modify its outline and rewrite it as needed to accommodate what I've done (and changed) before it. I'll elaborate on this later on in the chapter discussions; right now, let me give a broad sense of it.

For example, this excerpt is from the original "one-paragraph" outline.

_Nakamura Hideki couldn't bear to keep Imi EXE, his daughter Masyuo's navi and his creation, after Masuyo's death. Imi roams the streets of Internet City, trying to survive, and is taken hostage in an attempt to draw out Rockman, but she annihilates her captors with her ability to copy. This revelation stunned Imi, but the mounting number of voices in her head, from copying many navis, drives her to kill all the navis she's copied, including Rockman and Roll…_

As you may have noticed, a lot of things changed. The "hostage situation" became the incident at the Treble Clef, which had nothing to do with drawing out Rockman. Indeed, I felt any such hostage crisis would be (a) unoriginal and (b) lack the necessary depth. I struggled to make it work for ages, trying to write in a backstory for characters that would make sense and explain why they would want Rockman (or, in later ideas, want to find Imi). In the end, it wasn't until the third outline (the "four-page" outline) that I even conceived of Sonicman per se, though the idea of a first navi to makes Imi realize who and what she is had crossed my mind before.

I also discarded the plotline of Rockman and Roll being threatened by Echo's attacks. As I moved on to having Imi stay with them, it simply wasn't going to work out. This actually still left some holes later on, particularly in "The Cage," where I had to gloss over why Rockman and Roll would be "protected." But I felt that Imi wanting to keep from harming them was a compelling plot point, more so than having the two of them in danger personally.

A key turning point in the development of _Echoes_ was the third "act." Indeed, each chapter of _Echoes_ is like its own story: connected to the others tightly, but each provides an opening, a hook, and, hopefully, some closure. I derived this structure from television, as a matter of fact, particularly from _Babylon 5_. J. Michael Straczynski, the show's creator, described as a "novel for television," and I've taken his model and reversed it. It appeals to me to make the characters grow slowly and evolve over the course of many encounters, many small stories that link together.

And in the style of old theater, I divided _Echoes_ into three acts: the first, Imi's attempts to murder all the navis who touched her, culminating in her faked death at the end of "The Cage"; the second, her regrouping from this point and entry into the real world via Rush's powers to finish off the rest, ending with her surrender and the heartbreaking death of Roll ("Selfishness"); the third, Rockman's reaction to Roll's death and his dogged pursuit of Echo, until…well, don't let me give the rest away, for as you can see, this "third act" lies mostly after what you've read by now. Indeed, in the original outlines, this third act felt too rushed to me, so I expanded it, and it now comprises part two of _Echoes_. I took what was to be a single novel and lengthened it into two. I even contemplated a trilogy at one point, but I soon realized that was asking a bit much. Two parts just felt right.

In many ways, the relics of that structure remain, however. The first half still really only has two parts: the turning point between "The Cage" and "Spine of the Hedgehog," and the end. The turning point I wanted to have with Imi's capture just simply didn't pan out, and so I fit in the revelations—Echo's identity, Roll's love, and her death—into the last two chapters.

Did I mention that Roll dies?

At any rate, I think I've said all I can say about part one as a whole. The rest of this afterword will discuss the individual chapters in more detail.

—

Prologue

In retrospect, I have many doubts about the purpose of the prologue. I feel like perhaps it hasn't hooked enough people to read the way a good prologue should, but I can assure that it is entirely appropriate. Perhaps what it needs to do is give more hints of what is to come; I'm not quite sure.

Chapter One: Echo

A short chapter. I'm surprised at how much longer all the other chapters are compared to this one, especially with so much exposition. Like the prologue, I've worried that this chapter doesn't grab the reader enough, but I'd be hard-pressed to think of a more appropriate opening than the confrontation at the Treble Clef (which, if memory serves, isn't named in this chapter). But as opening chapters go, this one did everything I wanted out of it: it introduces all the major story threads—Imi's plight, Hideki and Yuuichirou's loss and their mission to revive their children, Rockman and Roll's relationship. To be fair to Netto and Meiru, they don't get a lot of time spent on them at this point, but they will.

Chapter Two: The Maze

This chapter was outlined very differently. It began as a simple "Rockman and Roll are trying to reach Mazeman, but there's this booby-trapped maze in the way, and Echo's following them as they disarm each trap" story, with the ultimate irony being Rockman's attempt to save Mazeman is what allows Echo to delete him. But this made Mazeman very dull, and I couldn't write a whole chapter around a trapped maze.

Instead, on my third attempt to write this chapter, I made Mazeman the prime instigator, and I was very pleased at how the chapter turned out. Indeed, I still feel it is one of the best, with perhaps Netto's adventures to contact the other operators detracting somewhat from the flow. I say this because that whole passage (with some minor tweaks to the scenes at Saloma's) were written in the earlier drafts.

But Mazeman turned out to be a very interesting character, perhaps the most interesting of all Imi's targets. The only other one I spent a significant amount of time writing was Egami. Yes, I made a mistake; when I wrote the outlines, Egami was the character's name and the name everyone used because no one knew her. Then I changed her backstory to be someone Netto and Meiru knew, though not too well, and I realized I needed a given name for the girl, but…I liked Egami too much. The rhythm was too nice, and no given name I could find had that kind of rhythm and sound. So, I wrote her to only like being called Egami, hence Meiru's snarky "Aya-san" when they're at Saloma's. She knows it grates on Egami.

Some people might think I set up Egami and Grove to be rivals for Meiru and Roll. In truth, I only intended them to illustrate Meiru and Roll's possessive nature. Grove is very distant from everyone, even her own operator, while Egami is the opposite: kind and friendly and, to some extent, oblivious. But Egami, along with Ikeda and Yukawa, suffers largely from being neither the hero nor the villain nor the victim (yet), so I couldn't spend much time with her, with all of them.

A couple other things of note for this chapter: I took it as plausible that, after Makoto developed copyroids in Beast, it wouldn't be long before safer versions hit the market for the general public. Hence, Mazeman doesn't have his navi abilities when he walks the real world. This is also important for "Playing Roulette."

In addition, I felt it was important for Imi to confront Mazeman herself, despite the risk that Rockman and Roll would overhear their conversation. It requires some suspension of disbelief, I admit, to think that neither they nor Netto and Meiru overheard Imi's conversation with Mazeman, but this is in part why I made Rockman suspect that something was amiss when it was all said and done, though it might be somewhat out of character.

Chapter Three: Playing Roulette

"Playing Roulette" didn't exist in the original scene-by-scene outline. Indeed, the chapter was to be "Heart of Stone," save with Rouletteman being on the run. Rouletteman would have impeded the effort to apprehend Echo through cowardice, but I soon realized this was more and more of a stretch—after all, how could action be sustained if Rouletteman ran away from the fighting?— and I changed the subject of pursuit to Slateman.

I'm reasonably proud of this chapter, though for reasons of pacing I chose to skip over some things. Meiru's reappearance is unexplained, for instance, but we can imagine she managed to coax the secret of Netto's whereabouts out of Meijin. Some of the mechanics of how Imi manages to take over Rouletteman's PET are hand-waved, also, mostly because I felt there was a large gray area in how navis interact with their PETs and the outside net.

Is Halo's death gratuitous? I'm not sure. It is what it is.

And then the little mindgame with Netto's dream coming true—that was fun to do, even if it was a bit over the top.

The last important thing is Rockman's refusal to slay Echo there and then, when she was weakened and vulnerable. He's the good guy, and as is later observed, he had to give her a chance, just one chance, but even so he will come to regret that.

Chapter Four: Heart of Stone

As I said, I originally planned this chapter with Rouletteman in mind, leaving Slateman's entrance to "The Cage," where his life and death could be properly chronicled. Like "The Maze," I planned this chapter around three traps. The third, as a matter of fact, was the Fire Soul trick Netto pulls off at the end of the previous chapter, and as with "The Maze," I realized three traps was not enough content to build a chapter around.

Since I originally planned it as chapter three, it was meant to hit home just how powerful Echo is. As chapter four, some of that power is diluted, but the themes remained: Echo turns each trap and stratagem around, using against our heroes. And Slateman's hard-headedness doesn't help, either. Is Slateman too single-minded? Perhaps, but he and Yukawa are uncompromising, and I feel I was consistent in portraying that.

A subplot I managed to work into this chapter was Roll's struggle. Since "Echo," this is really the first time we get to see substantial interaction between Rockman and Roll, even though it's dominated by Rockman's guilt over having let Echo go. This guilt drives Rockman to fight harder than he ordinarily might, beyond what good judgment would suggest, and Roll, helpless to intervene as she is thanks to a plot device, panics. She loves the poor guy, after all, and the depth of that has always had a strong effect on her—obsessiveness, possessiveness. I've got to think there can be excessive worry and fear there, too, for all the dangerous tasks Rockman's performed. It is fitting, to me, that Meiru goes to bat for Roll, and surrounded by insanity, Meiru is the one who does the sane thing and ends the massacre.

But Rockman is still torn over his errors; he means nothing malicious when he ponders what Echo will do next, but it does hurt Roll, to think that he can't appreciate that she saved him.

Chapter Five: The Cage

This was a tough chapter to write. It's hard to be psychological without overdoing it, and with a limited number of interesting viewpoints (really only Imi's is interesting because she's the only one who can be proactive and try to defeat the cage), it was…restrictive.

I knew right off that I wanted Slateman to die in this chapter and that I wanted Yukawa to be the one to do it, but I realized that it would take some doing to get there. Originally, Imi was simply going to deceive the others into thinking Slateman was Echo by use of clever timing, but I found the idea of having a new effect of her touching someone—transmitting her thoughts and memories back to them—a provocative one. It is, in fact, something I'd had planned for much later on in the story, and this gave a good opportunity to ease into it, at the risk of coming off as a device invented for the purpose of killing off Slateman.

People are on-edge in this chapter, and this works to Imi's advantage. Netto has his nightmare (which addresses the "tactical mistake," as Laika puts it, of using Greiga and Falzer against Echo), and the navis are willing to fight and scuffle a lot more than they otherwise would be. Roll's frustrations come out, to Rockman's confusion, and we can see he still doesn't quite get it.

The ending of the Cage does require some…finagling. Is it plausible that Yuuichirou wouldn't test all the other navis after Slateman's demise? I think so; I think they'd all be fatigued and stressed enough to just want to go home, but I admit I don't like having left it so easily perturbed. Something to work on for the future, though.

Chapter Six: Spine of the Hedgehog

I felt the Sonicman subplot of this chapter was important to hit home that Imi was in fact Sonicman during the Pickman incident, even though I'd hoped I'd made it fairly obvious over the course of the preceding chapters. I had to sit on this chapter for a while, though, as I struggled to find a way to bring Roll to the Treble Clef again in search of information. Would she be looking for Echo or for Imi? Obviously the latter.

After the first draft fizzled at around 5000 words, I had the idea for Yaito's party. Perhaps somewhat tasteless, to have a party to celebrate Echo's demise (and I tried to have Meiru point out this view), but Yaito is as Yaito is, and far be it for anyone to stop her, either. It turned a rather confused chapter into something I could string together tightly.

But we can see that Meiru's perspective in this chapter is very grim. To me, her feelings are complex and not completely articulated, but she needs stability in life, most of all from Netto, a person who is not inherently unstable but, perhaps, unsteady or whimsical. Meiru's song is as much about love as it is about stability and the passage of time.

I freely admit that writing a song may not come out so well in pure text.

I rarely step into Netto's head, mostly because I find his thought processes a bit simple. He's much better as a reflection of other people's feelings, as I use him in "Selfishness" to foil Rockman's confusion over his new identity. When writing from Netto's perspective, I feel I have to be more subtle than may be conducive to the reader, but for the volleyball scene, it was doable. He notices but doesn't understand Meiru's behavior, and that much is enough.

In the first draft of this chapter, there was a scene in which Masuyo confronts Grove and Rouletteman in an imaginary bedroom—Masuyo's bedroom. We see part of this bedroom in flashback, as Imi returns home to try to find her father, but Masuyo's scene would've expanded on the description of this room greatly, and I hope to use it again, perhaps as Masuyo's own abode, in part two.

Chapter Seven: Collage

When I finished Echo's attempts at Rouletteman and Grove after 3000 words, I was a bit concerned. When I finished the chapter at 10000 words, I was…puzzled.

In hindsight, I would've liked to expand a bit more on Roll's feelings, as I haven't stepped in her mind many times over the course of the work, but the pacing overall of her section felt good, and I'd have a hard time changing it without rewriting it wholesale.

Rockman's still confused. Oh boy is he confused. I think confusion suits him well. He's dealing with emotions that he's not prepared to confront or even fully understands. Just how can he make Roll happy if he doesn't comprehend her needs?

Originally, I hadn't meant for Imi to realize her father was working with Yuuichirou. This had a profound impact on the structure of subsequent chapters—indeed, as a result I ended up ditching a whole chapter and dividing its content between "Golden Silence" (originally called "Zeroes," which would've ended with Egami's death) and "Selfishness" (though most of this chapter's content is the same, I added more reaction to the revelation that Imi was Echo). On balance, this was probably for the better, as the original "Golden Silence" would've consisted of everybody going around and just trying to figure out what happened, which…could've been slow.

And poor Rush. I wanted to give him more "screen time," so to speak, but I could never find a good place (over the course of the book thus far) to include him that wouldn't detract or distract. Is it gratuitous? I pondered the danger that it could be, but given that it becomes a plot point in the next chapter, I felt it at least made sense.

Chapter Eight: Golden Silence

The first draft of "Golden Silence" had about 7000 words. It was fairly straightforward, and several scenes from the first draft made it intact and unchanged to the current version: Echo's attack on the Victorian, Meiru's hunt for Rush (and the race to reach Egami), and the flashback with Grove and Egami. Originally, Egami was just going to go on the run in a panicked attempt to save Grove from Echo. I added the small subplot with Hideki coming into the picture to help extend the action and clue Imi in about Masuyo's resurrection. I felt this was a good thing to do, as originally, Imi wasn't going to even find out at all, but her father personally rejecting her provided the necessary devastation that I wanted. It locks her up, so to speak.

On balance, I did kind of take for granted that Imi could touch a human and hear them like she would a navi. A reference to Mazeman and how he heard humans through his copyroid body would've been…a good idea.

I played with a fair number of ideas with this chapter. As I hinted earlier, I wanted Egami to play a larger role in this chapter, perhaps to bring more meaning to her demise. Indeed, the original idea had her going to great lengths (extreme, morally questionable lengths) to protect Grove from Echo. I soon began to feel that this was gratuitous moral ambiguity (I imagine there can be such a thing, anyway). Grove, however, is still insistent that Egami give her up to protect her.

As I mentioned in the notes for "Collage," this chapter was conceived as two—the first in which Egami is slain and Imi quest ends, and the second in which Netto and Rockman find out the truth about Saito and Hideki learns of Imi's presence and her identity as Echo. I deemed the second to be inordinately slow, and for that reason, I merged the two together and cut a lot of material, but it did give me an ending conundrum: what do I end this chapter on? Egami's death, the revelation of Saito, or Imi's unmasking? Ultimately, I decided that the middle option was the best, as it was truly necessary to set up the events of "Selfishness."

Chapter Nine: Selfishness

And here we are, the final chapter of the first half. Once again, I'm surprised with how long it ended up, considering the lack of action, but I also feel like everything fleshed out well here.

The first deviation from the outline (after having corrected it for the compression that occurred by combining two chapters into "Golden Silence") was the scene with Meiru, Netto, and Dingo confronting the devastated Imi. She doesn't resist; she's too far gone, and Netto's sorely, sorely tempted to delete this program right then and there, but hey, he's a hero, and she's helpless. It'd be so much easier if she resisted, if she were simply evil and not insane to boot. I hope that's what came across here.

Roll's in a very peculiar state of mind, but Meiru cuts through it well. A lot of her anger with Imi comes from having been used, in her eyes, but for all her deeds, Imi is still vulnerable. She has a weakness, and it's a weakness anyone with a heart can sympathize with: the need for love. Roll can't ignore that, for it's a topic close to her heart as well.

When I conceived of this chapter, I didn't originally think about the relationship between Netto and Rockman, but it quickly became obvious that this would be the central conflict in Rockman's decision, for either way, he would lose some aspect of Netto's life: as a human, he can't be there all the time. As a navi, he can't be there in some very important times, and there would always be a fundamental divide between them. It's tough, and there's no easy decision that stems from pondering this dichotomy.

And then we have the confession. I think it was critical to understand that if Rockman truly loved Roll on the same level that she did, we wouldn't be here at all. Rockman's always been a bit oblivious (though he's been getting closer to realizing it over the course of the first half), and when that obliviousness is shattered, he just breaks down. A lot of it is guilt: Rockman has consistently been a guilty person, and in his mind, not having shown Roll the love she wanted is something he greatly regrets. But, like all people, he can only handle so much guilt, and to cope with it, he excuses himself from it, he justifies it; if he were to cave in to this guilt, he would have to do something worse: show her love he doesn't feel, even though it's dubious as to whether he really doesn't.

So he makes the choice. He makes the choice to flee from Roll's love, to become human, even though he's making that choice mostly to avoid confronting his feelings and not because he wants more to be human than navi. And we see the ironic consequences of this choice in the link. Roll, of course, believes he's chosen to forsake her, and now she must begin to move on.

We have the virus fight scene. To this point, I've tried to seriously avoid viruses, if only because…they're lame, but aside from the ear-pinching scene, this is the first hint we get that Rockman's fighting shape is in jeopardy, though he and Netto seem to be in curious synch as a result of the link.

As I mentioned earlier, I'd wanted to show more of Masuyo (through Imi's representation of her), but here I got to work it in nicely. This scene was critical to bringing Roll full circle—from reviling Imi to identifying with her. And it's that identification with Imi that makes her feel her ability to move on rests with Imi.

And so we have the deletion scene. I knew that Imi would have to get pretty agitated to want to touch Roll and risk condemning her to death. I do think Roll's conversation does this, as she is doggedly trying to comfort Imi, yet Imi is refusing to walk that path. She's still committed to her father. It's hard to see Imi's thought process here; I hope to visit it in later chapters, but I feel she is pushed enough to question whether Roll's the good-natured navi, unlike the ones she touched, that she believed. It's enough to want to make Roll understand. It's enough to make her touch her. And Rockman tries to save her, but his link helps cost her her life.

The supreme irony of his choice.

I originally planned everything after this as its own chapter, but I felt that it was good to wrap everything up (at the risk of making it a ginormous 14000 words). Meiru's reaction is a bit muted at first—it is the next morning, after all. And Netto is really important to her ability to recover from this, so much so that, despite her grief, she needs his comfort.

And she asks him to call her Meiru.

Rockman is not oblivious to this point. It's bitter for him, to see Netto getting along well with Meiru while Roll is gone. This is the first hint that not all is well with Rockman, as he uses the memory of Roll's death to convince Netto to go after Echo, and their sudden disappearance forces Meiru to go after them. She has to, or else everything she had will be gone.

And somewhere out there, Imi is looking for her father.

In Conclusion

Thus, the end of the first half of _Echoes_. I hope you've enjoyed it so far, as dark as it is. I know I've not been kind to these characters, but they are strong, every last one of them, and they will endure. More than that, they will learn. That is why I chose to write this story—because they had much to learn still about themselves and each other, and I felt I could bring that out.


	12. Interlogue

To my readers (which I guess is Serenade of Light and…er…yeah): I apologize for the long delay (and in fact, it will be longer still). I got about 3000 words into "Meiru's Quest" before I took the 8000-word outline for all of part two and tossed it out the window, rewriting it into a 15000-word chapter-by-chapter outline. I can say that things to come should be fun, however, and this version should be much improved compared to the original draft…that you will never see. For example, as a result of my rewrite, the next chapter is better called "The Streets of Ameroupe," and not "Meiru's Quest" as I promised (and hey, it wouldn't surprise me if I changed it _again_ while actually writing it). At any rate, work on "The Streets of Ameroupe" shall commence imminently, and I can only hope to keep you all (well, Serenade of Light and…er…yeah) entertained, and in the meantime, a little warmup for part two.

**Interlogue**

The pink navi yanked on her captor's arm, squirmed and heaved with the agony of the mind, the haunting memories that Imi forced upon her. "No, Imi-chan—Imi-chan—"

"Charge Shot."

A molten stream of magenta energy seared Roll's armor and torched her skin. Her eyelids clinched shut. Imi opened her fist and dropped Roll's limp wrist on the floor.

"Roll-chan, hold on! Roll-chan!"

Her eyes were closed, but she saw him plain as day. She watched him from outside herself, and he cradled her. Was she a ghost? Had she become a spirit right then and there, condemned to witness Rockman's grief as he mourned over her corpse?

"You're still connected to the net, Rockman-san."

That voice—where did it come from? Its sound flooded her, engulfed her.

_Forget the sound. I don't care about it. I care about…I care about…_

About him. He shook her, roused her, but she evaporated in his arms, like pollen in a springtime breeze.

"Roll-san was wrong to tell me to forget Papa," said Imi. "Now I can find him, and he'll take me back." A void emerged below, and Rockman and Roll—her body, but not her mind—vanished.

_Wait! I want to see; I want to see!_

'_There's nothing more for you to see, Roll-san.'_

A flash, and she stood in the great hall. Myriad voices loomed in the shadows, and at center stage stood the soloist, the mistress of the symphony.

Imi.

"Where am I?" asked Roll. "What is this place?"

"This is my music hall," said Imi. "This is where everyone goes when they touch me."

"Echo, Echo, Echo!" chanted the crowd, and Roll shrunk under their command.

"And who are they?" she asked.

"My choir of souls," said Imi. "That's where everyone goes…" She brushed her hair from her face and smiled and twirled. "…when they die."

"When they die…" Roll clasped her hands together and studied the frothy black foam, the formless sea of faces.

"Echo, Echo, Echo!"

She shook her head and turned her back on the choir. "I don't want to go there!" said Roll.

Imi stepped off the central pedestal. "But you're dead, Roll-san. You can't stay here. Do you want to hear everything I hear, see everything I see? Do you want to be confined here night and day, and never have a thought that I won't hear, too?"

Imi's gaze hypnotized her. She crouched before the girl in the white skirt, and their eyes met level. "I…I don't know," said Roll.

"You can't stay," said Imi, placing her hand on Roll's chest. "You have nothing left out there to worry about: not Meiru-san, not yourself, not—"

She shut her eyes, and a tear streaked down her cheek. "Rockman." Even when she was dying, he couldn't pretend to her, lie to her…

…tell her he loved her…

"Goodbye, Roll-san." At that, Imi's fingers tensed, and she shoved Roll into the choir.

And Roll treaded through the web of pain. She stumbled and backpedaled as shadows lurched at her. They wrapped themselves around her elbow until she beat them off and ran. She ran, but the sea was everywhere; the light of the hall dare not reach here. The only light was her own, and it faded, faded. She curled into a ball and sat on the invisible floor, and as her light flickered and wavered, the shadows swallowed her. It was painless, serene; she heard many voices, as if she had split herself into two—no, four—no, eight or more—and eavesdropped on dozens of conversations. That's when she realized the shadows were not something to be afraid of: they were like her, after all. Some angry, others sad, but they all consoled one another and shared their grief, their loss. She could stand to be like them; she could stand to be one of them…

"Wait."

A light pierced the darkness; a girl with silver streaks in luscious dark hair waded through the shadows and stood before Roll.

"You're…Masuyo-san?"

The girl nodded. "That's right."

"What…what are…" The words clung to her lips; the shadows pulled on her, ever-so-gently, but she spread herself far too thin for this. To collect her thoughts, to form them into words and sentences—it was a hefty burden, too much of a burden. Hadn't she endured enough?

"You can stop her," said Masuyo. "She listens to you; she respects you. Help me."

But the voices of the others clouded Roll's thoughts, and she drifted, scattered. "I'm…sorry," she said. "I just want to rest…"

"You mustn't!"

"Meiru-chan, Rockman…"

"Stop!"

But Roll's light fizzled out.


	13. The Streets of Ameroupe

**Chapter Ten: The Streets of Ameroupe**

**1**

Night. The solemn night of a foreign land, where cars whizzed by on the right side of the road instead of the left and Roman characters dazzled and danced in pipes of neon and argon. The streets crawled with life, with parasites; they scrounged banana peels and water bottles and slipped into alleys. The people out there—no, _up_ there, in their skyscrapers and cozy lofts—denied the existence of the bottom-feeders below, but that didn't make them any less real, any less human.

Save for one man.

He lugged a black, rectangular bag over his shoulder and shivered. He avoided the busy thoroughfares with their glittering lights and slinked off the beaten path. The salty glow of streetlamps cast his shadow. He scanned the street, but only the precession of traffic lights piqued his interest. Safe and secure, he ascended the steps to a row of homes and knocked on the door. "Hello?" he said. "Is anyone there?"

Inside, darkness reigned, and the man flipped on a small white box with a green screen. "Codey."

"Yes, Papa?"

"We need to go inside." He shined the laser light on a dark panel by the doorbell, and the screen lit up.

"The computers don't control the locks here, Papa," said the voice in the box. "It's just an intercom."

The man huffed. "I thought this was Ameroupe, the land of plenty," he said. "All right, plug-out." He opened the screen door and jiggled the doorknob. It wobbled in his grip but wouldn't budge, so he squared his shoulder to the oak and backed down the steps. "I'm not going to like this."

One two three bang! The lock splintered through the wood, and Nakamura Hideki crept inside. With Codey's screen to guide him, he navigated an obstacle course of rippled rugs and mahogany coffee tables.

"I see," said Hideki, "they've been spending all their money on decorating."

"I think it's pretty," said Codey.

"Pretty is fine, but if they don't have power, they're no use to us." He plopped into a lush armchair and opened his bag. He set his laptop on his knees and unfurled a tangled mass of cords with a plastic box in the middle. The cord unfurled to a plug, and with the prongs in hand, he scanned the wall for an outlet. He jammed the plug in one set of holes before realizing his error. "Oh these people!" he said. "These people and their crazy 220-volt—"

"It's 230 volts, Papa."

"I stand corrected." He yanked the 110-volt (or was it 115?) connector to the AC power supply and attached a more local-friendly two-pin connector. At last, his laptop sparked to life, and Hideki checked the power meter and sighed. "Two hours," he said. "Let's hope the owners won't be home soon. Keep a look out, will you, Codey?"

"Yes, Papa."

Hideki closed the lid and sank in the chair. "Good night, Codey."

"Good night."

He tilted his head back, and his eyelids fluttered shut, but he glimpsed out the window one last time. No headlights, no passers-by, just a shadow. He walked to the window despite the danger; after all, if someone were out there, they might've spotted him anyway, they might be—

"Papa." The figure stepped forward and pressed her hand—her white, gloved hand—against the glass. "Why did you abandon me, Papa?"

_No, no! It's impossible! How could she be here so quickly?_ He backed away, but her hand curled into a fist and shattered the glass.

"Codey, we're leaving," said Hideki, packing his laptop. "Codey!"

But inside the shiny PET, the girl in the conical hat blinked slowly. "Why did you abandon me?"

"Papa." She hovered in the doorway. "Papa." She climbed through the window. Dozens of copies clamored for his answer. "Papa. Papa. Papa."

"Papa!"

And Hideki jolted from his seat, the comfy armchair. A boy—a navi—in black cloth peered through the screen. "Someone is coming, Papa."

"How long—"

"An hour and a half."

That would have to do. He could deal with a three-quarter charge; that would buy a few hours of work tomorrow, some time to get him off this damned continent, somewhere Imi wouldn't find him.

But first…

"You thought I'd _like_ that filth?"

Ameroupans for you. Loud, obnoxious, and opinionated. It was an open question whether their egos weighed on them more than their fat cells.

"I just thought you'd appreciate a little humor for a change, not more 'Oh no, is the baby really his, or does it belong to his brother?' nonsense."

"It's not nonsense! Maybe if you had a brother you'd understand that."

"If I had a brother, you wouldn't—" The door creaked.

"Oh my God, we've been broken—"

"Shh!" said the man. "Call the police."

Police? That was the last thing Hideki needed. He yanked the AC adapter from the socket and packed his belongings.

"Hey, you!" The man barged into the room and hastily slipped his finger into his coat. "Don't move! I've got a gun, and I'll shoot!"

"Please, don't!" said Codey. "Don't hurt Papa!"

Hideki rolled his eyes. "He doesn't have a gun."

"Yes, I think there's a burglar in my house—"

"We know there's a burglar!" said the man. "He's right—"

Smash! Shards of glass littered the floor, and Hideki bolted. He looked back, but neither of the owners appeared at his tail. He ducked into an alley and doubled over to catch his breath.

"I guess I should thank you, Imi," he said, "for showing me the way out."

"Papa, who's Imi?"

"Pray that you never meet her," said Hideki. "Pray that _we_ never meet her."

**2**

"Enzan-sama."

"I'm awake, Blues."

"_Hai."_

A sliver of morning sun tinged the penthouse with golden hues, and Ijuuin Enzan rose from his bed, admiring the dawn. For many weeks, he'd made it a ritual to meet the sunrise each day. At first, he stared at it head-on and caught the glimmers as they peaked over the mountains to the east. It was a beautiful juxtaposition: a white-hot orb came into view against dark, shadowed snowcaps. Stunning, to be sure, but Enzan bored of this view after a week or two (that, and Blues advised him that it was unhealthy for his eyes). Now, he faced away from the sun. He let it warm his back and studied the reflections off the other skyscrapers, for when a panel of glass angled just right, it shone with the full glory of the star it mimicked. These isolated rectangles formed some pattern, some inscrutable puzzle, and Enzan resolved to solve that mystery, to bear witness to the shifting tapestry each and every morning.

But no one can stop the sun—certainly not Ijuuin Enzan, anyway. It journeyed on its arc through the sky, and Enzan prepared for his long day ahead.

"What day is it, Blues?"

"Day 54."

54, _gojuushi_. Seven times eight is _gojuuroku_, 56. Day 0 was a Monday, so Day 56 would be a Monday, 55 a Sunday, and 54…

"It's Saturday?"

"Yes."

Enzan nodded. He ruffled his wardrobe, a collection of camouflage pants and red vests, and discovered the prize. This too was ritual—tradition, even. It wasn't his idea, but his partner in crime (or rather, crime-fighting) suggested they revisit old personae to show Echo the human spirit: that they would not be defeated, that they would stand and fight.

Thus, Enzan emerged with white shoes and bell-bottom pants. His jacket bore two lines of stars along the middle, and he poked and prodded his afro wig. "Did I miss anything?"

"Your gla—er, _shades_, Enzan-sama."

"Ah, of course." He flipped open the case and squared the circular lenses on his face. "Now we're ready." And so, Enzan ventured from his bedroom and strutted through the empty penthouse. The quiet unsettled him. As the heir to one of the foremost technological conglomerates in the world, he'd grown accustomed to a small posse of servants and assistants catering to his every whim and desire. He detested their presence, to be sure—the last thing he wanted was to be a spoiled, rich brat like a certain Gabcom heiress—but they were there, all the same, and while many times he'd thought about dismissing them, he'd always endured.

Until eight weeks ago. He cleared the penthouse of his father's servants and relocated his corporate assistants to their own housing. Indeed, the only employee he retained was the chauffeur—had he been of driving age, he'd have disposed of him, too. It was unfortunate to put many good people out of work, but it was also necessary, for he needed privacy now. That much he'd promised to give.

Yet the quiet in the morning still troubled him. It was dead inside Enzan's penthouse, save for a faint rumble, the piercing "pew pew" of virtual energy blasts. As Enzan prepared to leave, he hopped downstairs and hovered outside a closed door, within which these chaotic sounds echoed. It was a training room—his training room—but now he hardly owned it at all.

"Shall we disturb them, Enzan-sama?" asked Blues.

"No, I don't think so. Let's go."

—

The Net Police's headquarters in Ameroupe was a curious mix of both old and new architecture. Marble pillars recalled the memory of ancient peoples, yet glass and steel proclaimed their modernity. Perhaps both accounts were valid, for since the early days of civilization, men relied upon the rule of law (both common and codified) to preserve society, yet the Net Police themselves were an artifact of a new world order, in which matters of the Internet dominated interactions, both legitimate and criminal.

Whatever the reasons, this eclectic structure stood firm in the face of any threat, even as others fell to the might of Echo.

_It's really not so bad._ Enzan studied the city streets on his way to headquarters that morning. _It was a lot worse when Duo unleashed his viruses and Asteroid navis to attack everything in sight._

True enough, Duo's armies decimated whole cities, but Echo minimized her destruction, obliterated only those who stood in her way. Because it "wasn't so bad," he and his partner hunted Echo alone, the sole forces on this continent to keep her in check.

Not that it was for lack of trying. The first person he called was Laika, but "matters of the Sharo military must take precedence over a distinctly Ameroupan problem," or so he heard. "Believe me, I'm not pleased about it, either," said Laika, "but until Echo proves to be a threat to my country, my superiors don't want me involved."

So-called "diplomatic relations" with Creamland ruled out Pride as well.

Outside of Laika, Enzan's connections with the other Cross Fusion Members were thin. Yuriko didn't return his calls, and Tesla, even after joining the Members' ranks to face Duo, was kept on a short leash, lest she get into the business of Dark Chips once again. Ironically, Tesla kept her lover Charlie on an even shorter leash than her own. As for the others—Dingo, Nenji, Jasmine—they all demanded the same thing:

"We should look for Netto."

Such terms Enzan could not agree to. The goal was Echo, pure and simple. Wherever Netto was, it was a safe bet he was working to thwart Echo on his own, and the best way to find him was to stop Echo. That was the rational assessment, but alas, none of them bought it. Even Miyabi said, "I swore to get my revenge on Hikari Netto; that is my priority, not this Echo."

At that, Enzan shook his head. "Has everyone gone mad?"

"Some might call us mad for wearing these outfits."

On the steps to the Ameroupan headquarters, amidst the marble pillars and polished windows, a man with two pink stars on his chest and dangling sleeves welcomed Enzan.

"I see you remembered this week," said Raoul.

"It seemed appropriate," said Enzan. "Any news?"

"No word of Echo, but there was an…incident last night."

—

"Yeah, look," said the man, "the guy was sitting just there, in _my_ chair, like he owned the place, and he had his laptop plugged in. Do you have any idea what my bills are like already? Last thing I need is for some hobo to run up—"

"How many hobos do you know with laptops?" said the woman.

"Let me get this straight," said Enzan. "The intruder took no money, no valuables, just power?"

"And he broke our window," said the woman. "Are you going to make him pay for that?"

At that, Enzan and Raoul excused themselves and pondered the situation over shards of glass. Over the past two months, the Net Police scoured the city in tandem with local authorities, but Nakamura Hideki eluded them. How a programmer, a scientist, could escape from the best investigators on the continent puzzled all involved, but thus far, even with his identity monitored and his assets seized, any electronic trace of him disintegrated.

"Can't find anyone in this town," Raoul said. "Not Nakamura, not Netto."

"It makes sense, though," said Enzan. "All this time, he must have needed power. I think we could stand to check the police reports for other break-ins."

"Enzan-sama." An angled pair of sunglasses—er, _shades_—obscured Blues's helmet, and a burgundy cape and headdress flapped at his back. "I don't think we'll find much. Thunderman and I searched the computer system extensively, just to be sure. The intruder would have had unlimited access to all functions, even protected ones."

"That's how he's done it," said Raoul. "He invades their networks to make them let him in."

"These people were just his latest victims," said Enzan.

"He must be close." Raoul eyed the ends of the busy street. "He's a vagrant now, and vagrants don't go far."

"I'll go north," said Enzan.

"On foot?"

"He left on foot, didn't he?" Thus, Enzan strutted aside the thoroughfare, hopping over scattered flyers and dodging garbage bins, just as Nakamura had done hours before.

_Always running, always hiding._

Some people just have that luxury. They can afford to give up all else—their freedom, their sanity—and trade it for a life of seclusion. Thanks to Echo, Nakamura had that, as did Netto. They disappeared, and their existence dwindled to whispers and rumors. Convenient for them, to be sure: missing people answer not for the consequences of their actions. They get to be the cause but escape the effect.

"What do you think, Blues?" said Enzan.

"I think if Nakamura-hakase really went this way, it might be more efficient to take the car."

"I mean…" He lowered the rims of his glasses. "…about Netto."

"I'm concerned."

"As am I."

"But I suspect Rockman is the one we should be more concerned about."

"Rockman?"

"I know he and Roll were close."

"You think he would insist to come here all for that? That's that kind of insanity I would expect from Netto, not Rockman."

"I only suspect it," said Blues. "I couldn't prove it."

"Even still, that would be uncommonly foolish."

"If I recall, it was uncommonly foolish when you used Cross Fusion to save me from the Dark Chip, but that worked out."

"That's different."

"Yes, Enzan-sama."

Enzan stopped. He scraped his sole on the sidewalk and surveyed the area, but this block looked little different than the last one or the one before: grimy awnings and streaky windows lined the street, and nailed-in boards blocked off half the buildings on the row.

"I suppose we should turn back," he said, pushing his glasses up his nose. "There's nothing—" A heap of gravel caught his eye. It was an empty lot between a restaurant and an electronics store; morning shadows blanketed the lot, and a ruffled, tattered figure bobbed between light and dark.

"Enzan!" Raoul called through the PET. "Enzan, come quickly! There's trouble!"

"Echo?"

"No," said Raoul. "It's worse."

—

Enzan returned to the scene to find Raoul accosted by a microphone. "The city authorities told me I could shoot this story," said the reporter, straightening her green cap. "How could the Net Police have jurisdiction here?"

"I can't discuss it," said Raoul. "But you…" He pointed at the reporter and the cameraman behind her. "You both need to leave; this is a crime scene."

"It has to do with Echo, doesn't it?" said the reporter. "That's why you Net Saviors are here!"

Enzan rolled his eyes. "Blues…"

"Uniformed officers are on their way as we speak, Enzan-sama."

"Thank you."

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are live from Ameroupe this morning," said the reporter, "where the Net Saviors, led by Ijuuin Enzan, are investigating a break-in tied to Echo. What lies within this home that she could be after? How—"

"Wait a minute," said Enzan. "Is that camera rolling?"

"This feed is streaming live to the net," said the cameraman. "It's news on demand."

"Give me that!" said Raoul, blocking the lens with his hand. "Do you have any idea what you're doing? You're leading her here!"

The reporter frowned. "How can we lead Echo where she's been?"

"She hasn't been here!" said Enzan. "Her father was here!"

"Papa was here?"

_Oh no._

Imi EXE peered up at the adults and cocked her head. "Where is my papa?" she asked. "Is Papa here?"

**3**

The sole light in the sea of shadow—Nakamura Masuyo—called into the void. "I know you're out there."

"Meiru-chan…" The voice whispered and vibrated; it wavered like a violin string. "Rockman…"

"Do you like it?" asked Masuyo. "Do you like being one of them, one of many?"

The sea mumbled, the response unintelligible.

"You let yourself fade away, and now they've faded away, too. Is that what you wanted?"

"I…"

"Give it some thought," said Masuyo, closing her eyes. "Think about it while you watch her…"

"Meiru-chan…"

"…while you echo her."

—

"Sonic Boom!"

"Mach Burst."

Crunch! The wave smashed Enzan against the satellite van. The reporter and her colleague fled across the street (yet still covered the action with color commentary and play-by-play, blow-by-blow description).

"Raoul!" Enzan said. "Get the owners; protect them!"

"Right!" He dashed inside, past Imi, who paid him no heed.

"Do you think he can do something to stop me?" she said, hovering over Enzan. "Do the people here know something about Papa?"

"Battle Chip: Thunder Ball!" Zap, zap, zap! But Imi shook off the jolts and stared him down.

"Where is my papa, Enzan-san?" she asked. "Tell me!"

"I don't know!" He slashed high to low, but Imi deflected the sword and blasted him with another Mach Burst, punching him into the van.

"Do they know?" asked Imi. "Do I need to touch them?"

"You won't touch anyone today!"

"I hope not." She closed her eyes, and gray and red armor materialized around her. Wavy flames sprouted from her hair, and she leveled her hands and wrists at Enzan, and fire swarmed the interior of the satellite van. "You'll be safe here for a while," said Imi, and an earthen wall sealed the breach he came through, trapping him inside.

"Hey, that's my van!" said the reporter. "You can't do that to my van; you can't!"

Imi tossed a Mach Burst their way for good measure and marched into the townhouse, but all was quiet inside. "Are you here, Papa?" she asked. "Can you hear me?"

"Your father isn't here, Echo." Raoul's voice bounced down the hall. Where was he hiding?

"Is your Battle Chip Gate not working today, Raoul-san?" Paladin Sword in hand, Imi crept forward, wary, watching…

"I'm sure it's working fine somewhere."

"Are there people here who've seen Papa?"

"Perhaps."

"You should let me speak with them," said Imi. "Then you could help Enzan-san."

"Enzan can take care of himself," said Raoul. "This is what he told me to do."

"To run away?" Imi said, poking her head around a corner. "To taunt me?"

"The only way to defeat Echo is to surprise her."

She tip-toed into the kitchen. "How do you think you can surprise me, Raoul-san? How do you think—" She grinned. The owner and his girlfriend cowered in a corner, shaking. "Hello there," said Imi. "Have you seen my papa?"

"This is how I can surprise you." Imi flinched. She turned to meet the voice behind her…

…and faced R Thunderman and his eight floating discs. "Elec Beam!"

Imi tore and ripped at the charge that froze her, but the current locked her body and stiffened her limbs.

"Run!" Raoul said to the couple. "Hurry!"

They obliged and scurried downstairs to the back door.

"I like this look for you, Raoul-san," groaned Imi, straining against the voltage, "but it gives you a new vulnerability."

"What's that?"

"Woody Tower."

Raoul ping-ponged between the spearing pillars. His concentration broken, Imi freed herself from his attack and vanished.

"That Echo," Raoul muttered. He surrounded himself in a Barrier and charged through the forest of Woody Towers, and the spikes splintered on the shield. "Let's go, Thunderman!"

"Right!"

He charged through the hall and back into the daylight, under a rainbow sky. The burning van spewed black smoke, and within, an unseen force banged on the walls and clamored for aid.

"Battle Chip: Bubble Side!" Raoul quenched the flames, and the walls of the van stiffened and cracked. At last, Enzan burst from the steam inferno, and Raoul rushed to his side. "Are you all right?"

"Where did they go?" asked Enzan, coughing and wheezing. "Where did _she_ go?"

They checked both ends of the street. Three small figures bickered at the edge of the barrier.

"Jet Vernier!" Enzan sped overhead on his shoe thrusters, and Raoul hoofed it to the scene. "Come on," Enzan said, "just don't let her touch them…"

—

"Oh my God, did you see that?" said the girlfriend. "Did you see it?"

"I saw it!" said the owner. He dragged her by the hand as they dashed north along the boulevard. "Navis fighting in real life—yes, I saw it! It's not exactly new, you know!"

"We could've been hurt!" said the girl. "Or killed!"

"That tends to happen when people fight, navis or not!"

"Wait!" They shuffled to a stop at the edge of the dimensional area, and the girl traced her fingers over the surface. "What do we do?" she said. "We can't go through it!"

The screech of braking wheels and sliding tires pierced the air. A lone, black limousine swerved and stopped outside the dimensional area. Tinted windows obscured the driver and the occupants.

"Please, help us!" said the girlfriend, banging on the barrier. "Do something!"

"All you need to do is tell me."

The man and woman shrunk under Imi's glare.

"Where did my papa go?" said Imi. "Tell me!"

"He—he went that way!" the woman said, pointing up the street. "That's all we know, honest!"

"You're lying."

"We're not lying!" said the man.

"What did he want from you?"

"Power for his trashy laptop!" said the man. "Probably so he could surf the net with that navi of his."

Imi twitched. "Navi? What navi? Papa had a navi?"

"I didn't see—"

"Liar!" Vines poked through the asphalt and entwined the couple. "If you won't tell me, then I'll touch you! Do you know what happens when I touch people?"

"Please don't hurt us!" said the woman. "Have mercy, please!"

"I'll take the secrets from your minds," said Imi, marching forward, "and then I'll silence you. I'll—"

But she shrunk back; three lines of fire surrounded the couple and deterred Imi from approaching.

"What is this?" said Imi. "Who's there?"

"I'm here!" R Blues descended and landed on the pavement, pointing his sword at Imi. "Let them go!" said Enzan. "Do it!"

"Don't try to stop me, Enzan-san!" said Imi. "If you come closer, I'll touch them, and I'll kill them!"

A cylindrical shield repelled her in defiance; it protected the couple from her wrath with its warm white light.

"Z-Saber!" Enzan swung the delta-shaped blade, and a wave of energy propelled Imi against the dimensional area, and to insult her further, a checkerboard pattern of Stone Cubes materialized and smashed her into the street.

_Where did those come from?_ Enzan checked behind him. Raoul was still catching up, 100 meters away.

"Someone else is here," said Imi, shoving the remains of the cubes away. "Who is it? Where are they?"

_I don't know, but we can use it._ "All our officers are equipped with Battle Chip Gates now, Echo!" said Enzan. "You can't defeat them all!"

She scoffed. "You're lying." She turned to the couple. "I'll touch them and find out where Papa is; I'll—"

But they disappeared in an off-color flash.

Imi staggered in disbelief. "What? Where did they go?"

_It was an Area Steal. Someone moved them._

"Thunder Volt!"

Imi dodged the shock, but she fumed all the same. "Papa is close. We'll see each other soon, Enzan-san." A hole opened beneath her, and she disappeared within.

Raoul caught his breath from the sprint. "Is she gone?"

"I think so," said Enzan. He wandered the vicinity, and sure enough, he found the couple in an alley, locked in an embrace and quivering with terror.

_But who was using those chips…?_

An engine revved, and rubber skidded on the road. The limousine outside the dimensional area motored away and turned a corner, out of sight. As the rainbow dome fell, the occupant rolled down her window. She yanked an attachment from her PET, rubbed the empty green screen with her thumb, and gazed outside, at the cold steel city, as her fiery hair flapped in the breeze.

"Why aren't you here, Netto?" said Meiru. "Where did you go?"

**4**

With a background of patrol cars and an ambulance, Midorikawa Kero straightened her blouse and leaned into the microphone. "And so, in the aftermath of Echo's attack, the Net Police and city authorities are combing the area for this man: Nakamura Hideki."

The scientist's face lit up the screen and shrunk into the corner.

"If you have any information about this man, contact the Net Police or your local—" Click! The holographic image vanished, and Meiru dug a fork in her curry.

"Yaito-chan."

An image of the Gabcom heiress and her famous forehead shimmered in the air. "I'm here, Meiru-chan."

"He wasn't there."

"I know, but…the Battle Chip Gate—it was useful, right?"

Meiru rummaged through her purse and spun the device in her hands. "It was very useful. How did you get it?"

"I asked Hikari-hakase to borrow it."

"You didn't!"

"I did! He said they had one from Ameroupe that they weren't using anymore and that my company could use it for…research. Yes, that's it. Research."

"That was clever."

"I thought so."

A pause. Meiru brought the prongs to her mouth and munched on the mixture of rice and spice. "What day is it?"

"Day 55. Well, 54 for you, but 55 here in Japan by now. I guess that makes it 55 officially, then."

55 days. Netto held her, hugged her, consoled her 55 days ago, and Roll…

She shook it off. "Is there anything new on the site?"

"Dekao-kun posted something earlier today. It's…"

"It's what?"

"Perhaps you should see for yourself."

Her curiosity piqued, Meiru switched windows and opened a link to a website, one with a bold, two-tone pink and blue design.

"Have you seen our children?" read the title.

Below the header, two images loaded line by line: one, a boy with a knowing smirk; the other, a reflection of herself. "Netto Hikari," read the caption, transcribed in the Latin alphabet, "and Meiru Sakurai. It has been 55 days since Netto and Meiru disappeared."

_If we could just find Netto, this would all be over._ She paged down, past dubious photos that claimed to be of her or Netto. Actually there were many more that purported to catch Netto than her; after all, he was Hikari Netto, operator of Rockman, premier Net Savior. If he could be found, he could stop Echo, surely, or he would give her a good, hard fight trying. Why should anyone divert resources to find a lonely girl without a navi?

Yaito pointed out this injustice. "You're just as missing as he is," she noted. "Well, aside from me knowing where you are, anyway."

"If it weren't for you, Yaito-chan, I wouldn't be able to keep looking for him," said Meiru. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, Meiru-chan. I can't think of a better way to spend my money than to give it to you to spend instead."

Meiru raised an eyebrow and laughed.

"It's strange, though," said Yaito. "How could Netto stay hidden this long without help, without money?"

"He does have his tournament winnings," said Meiru. "Second-place finish at the N1 Grand Prix."

"He couldn't touch that money without someone knowing about it," said Yaito. "Trust me, I know these things. No, there must be someone helping him, but who do we know—who does Netto know—who has that kind of money?"

The question _did_ boggle the mind, but rather than contemplate an answer, Yaito giggled.

"What's funny?" said Meiru.

"Did you read Dekao-kun's post yet?"

"Oh, right." She scrolled further and reached the blog.

"Day 54," read the post, "A Message from Dekao Ooyama."

_So far so good._

"I just wanted to tell everyone to keep hoping for Netto and Meiru-chan to come home or be found," the post read. "We have to keep looking, keep searching, until we can't search anymore!"

"I never thought Dekao-kun could be so inspirational," said Meiru.

"Oh, just wait, it gets better."

"Netto," the post continued, "if you're out there, come back home! Your friends miss you, and if you don't come back soon, I'm going to pound you into the ground!"

"Oh no, he didn't…"

"Keep going!"

"And Meiru-chan, if you're reading this, just know that I'm going crazy without you! I love you, Meiru-chan! Come back to me!"

The fork promptly slipped from Meiru's hand and clinked on the plate. "YAITO-CHAN!"

"Forgive me!" said Yaito, cracking up hysterical. "Your expression was…HAHAHAHA!"

At that, Meiru put the PET on mute while Yaito laughed herself silly, and she popped another gob of rice and curry into her mouth…which didn't help matters much, for she wasn't crazy about curry, not like Netto was, but lunchtime curry was mandatory now. She didn't feel like she could burn Yaito's allowance on the extravagant nine-course lunches at the hotel, and truth be told, the curry wasn't bad. The shop was small—reminiscent of Maha Ichiban in that respect—and the service simple. What more could you ask for?

More than that, though: with curry, there was hope. With curry, there was possibility; there was the chance that one of these days, Meiru would walk into this homemade curry shop and find Netto at the counter, chowing down to his heart's content.

That was her hope, though it never came to pass. Back in reality, Yaito flailed her arms and knocked on the screen in silence, and Meiru unmuted her. "Sorry, Yaito-chan."

Yaito simpered. "Don't worry about it. You had that look about you."

"A look?"

"When you think about Netto. I know you miss him. You must miss both of them."

Meiru slumped in her seat and sighed. "It's been two months, Yaito-chan. It's been two months, and I'm starting to forget. Her voice doesn't sound right in my head anymore, and his smile—it doesn't make me feel like everything's going to be all right. I won't hear Roll again, but I need to see him. I need to see him before I forget it all."

"You won't forget, and when you do see him, it'll come back."

"How do you know?"

"I just know."

"You're being coy again."

"I'm not!"

"You are."

"I'm not!"

Note one to let Yaito have the last word, Meiru tried a different tack. "I saw Enzan today."

Sure enough, Yaito flinched. "You—you what?"

"He was in Cross Fusion, sure, with Blues's armor and sword and—"

Yaito's hands flew to her cheeks but couldn't suppress the blush beneath. "That's enough, Meiru-chan, please! I'm a dignified woman, thank you, and for that reason, I'm going to bed!"

"To bed?" Meiru said. "What time is it?"

"Remember, Japan's 14 hours ahead of where you are," said Yaito. "If it's noon there…"

12 plus 14 equals 26; 26 minus 24 equals… "It's two o'clock in the morning?" cried Meiru. "Yaito-chan, that's—"

"I'm only a little tired. Besides, it's Saturday, or it used to be."

"But…we've talked every day this week at lunch! How did you go to school?"

Yaito shrugged. "I manage. I don't see _you_ going to school."

"Yaito-chan!"

"It's really all right, Meiru-chan. I don't mind at all."

"But why…?"

"You needed someone to talk to," said Yaito. "You needed someone to replace Roll."

Meiru gasped. _She's right. If I weren't talking to her, I'd be talking to Roll. If Roll were here…_

"I'm sorry," Yaito said. "I shouldn't bring up Roll. Will you be all right?"

"I'll be fine," said Meiru. "Good night, Yaito-chan."

"Good night." The screen disappeared, and Meiru was alone in the curry shop, with an empty PET and, as luck would have it, an empty plate to boot. Netto would be proud.

She flipped the screen on again to Kero's newscast, and the multicolored hues in the sky told her all she needed to know.

_Netto will be there this time—I'm sure of it!_

She snapped the Battle Chip Gate into the slot-in port and dropped some change on the table for a tip, and Yaito's chauffeur opened the door as Meiru hopped in the limo.

_Just wait for me, Netto. Wait for me._

**5**

"Hey, I think I've got something over here!"

A pair of uniformed officers kicked the gravel over their shoes and shined a torch into the shadow. The spot of light revealed a wadded-up sleeping bag in one corner and a rusty dumpster on the other.

"Anyone in the dumpster?" said the sergeant.

The corporal sniffed rotting banana peels and old milk. "God help them if they are."

"All right, we can refocus the search around this spot," said the sergeant. "I'm going to start here. Stay put in case he returns."

"Understood."

The sergeant hit the sidewalk again, and the corporal distanced himself from the dumpster.

"Lucky me, huh."

Clang! The lid of the dumpster teetered over and slammed shut.

The corporal clicked off the safety on his gun. "Is someone there?"

Crunching gravel told him so.

"Come out, hands first!"

Behind the dumpster, scrunched against the brick wall, Nakamura Hideki rose from a crouch, PET in one hand, laptop bag in the other.

"Give me the bag."

He obliged the officer and dumped the bag onto the dumpster lid.

"And the PET too."

Hideki handed over the box as well. The corporal checked the screen, from which a brown-haired navi gazed at the outside world. "Hello there," said the corporal. "What's your name?"

"Codey."

"How'd you get to be in this man's possession, Codey?"

"He's my papa."

"Is that so?

"It is." Codey blinked, and a shock raced through the officer's heart. He collapsed in the gravel, and Hideki recovered his PET.

"Good work, Codey," he said.

"We used most of the PET's power to deliver that jolt, Papa," said Codey, "and your adjustments are not recommended by the IPC User's—"

"We'll undo them later," said Hideki, "and we'll get you power, too, but right now, we need to get out of here."

He snuck out of the empty lot and slung the laptop bag over his shoulder, averting his face as a patrol car passed by.

_This is bad. I'm hardly going to get anywhere before I'm spotted and questioned._

But the situation had been bad all morning. It was just now going from bad to worse. When the dimensional area hit, it blocked his best route of escape. All other directions led to decidedly worse neighborhoods, in which a man with a laptop and a PET would very likely find himself stripped down, mugged, and left under a bridge. Even in daylight he didn't feel safe venturing there.

Since Imi left, however, the situation steadily deteriorated. The Net Saviors called in the authorities to canvass the area, and with nowhere to go, Hideki hoped they would simply pass over his simple gravel lot.

_Should've thrown the sleeping bag in the dumpster. Should've found another house to break into or another place to stay, further away._

This was no time to dwell on past mistakes, however. "We need a distraction," Hideki said.

"I could take over the power plant like before," said Codey. "Or maybe the water plant this time."

"People almost died when we cut the power last time," said Hideki. "We don't need to be that extravagant. Try the traffic control systems; reset all the signals. That should cause chaos enough without risking any lives."

"Yes, Papa. I'll be right back." Codey dematerialized, and Hideki, with his laptop bag firmly on his shoulder again, walked the streets with a high collar as patrols passed by.

—

Codey appeared on the grid as he had many times before, but he knew immediately he wasn't in the right place.

"Is someone around?"

This wasn't the traffic control system; it was a simple Internet gateway. The gateway should've forwarded him immediately to his destination, but for some reason, he was being held there like a roach in a bottle.

He dipped his hand into the floor, and it melted and merged with the data. Programming blocks streamed across his eyes, for he was Codey, a problem solver. That was the purpose for which his father designed him, gave him life. Even the most elaborate security, the tightest firewall, was a puzzle meant to be cracked, meant for _him_ to crack. The Internet was his playground, its various systems and constructs mere castles of sand. Made of sand himself, he penetrated their defenses with ease. He copied and erased as his father commanded, and the other humans would be none the wiser. He was the Sandman: a ghost, a legend.

But this puzzle was different. The force that pinched the gateway adapted to his techniques, countered them with new diversions and opened false avenues of advancement. This was no human at the controls; they were faster, smarter, and though Codey could adapt to any security scheme, it was a learning process that took time, time his father could not afford.

"Who's there?" said Codey. "Is someone there?"

"You're very smart."

The girl materialized beside him; her conical hat tilted as she studied him head to toe.

"Who are you?" asked Codey.

"I've been waiting," she said. "I knew Papa must be around here, that he would try to reach the net. You _are_ the one Papa made, aren't you? Did he make you to replace me?"

"The one…Papa made?"

"What's your name?"

"Codey."

"Can you tell me who made you, Codey-kun?"

"My papa is Nakamura Hideki."

"So it is." Curious, the girl circled Codey, and he swiveled to match her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm looking you over."

"Why?"

"Because. I want to know what Papa made you for."

"To do things for him," Codey said. "To help him stay safe."

She shook her head. "Isn't there something more?"

He frowned. "I don't think so."

"You're cute, Codey-kun," she said, stifling a giggle. "That's what Papa does; he makes cute things."

"He does?"

"Papa made me first, you see. He made me for one purpose, but…I think he really wanted me to make him happy. Do you make him happy, Codey-kun?"

"I…" He looked away, and his focus turned inward. "I don't know. Sometimes, he tells me not to call him _papa_, but he never tells me what to call him instead."

The girl nodded. "Papa can be confusing that way."

"Papa wanted me to disable the traffic control system," said Codey. "If I don't, he might be mad."

"What does he want that for?"

"So he can get away from the police."

"Don't worry," said the girl. "He won't need to for much longer."

"But still, I should go. Can you let me go?"

"I will, but first, can you do something for me, Codey-kun?"

"What's that?"

"Can you take me to Papa?"

"You can't go to Papa yourself?"

"No, I can't. You'll have to show me the way."

"Oh, okay." He offered his hand, but the girl refused.

"I can't touch you, Codey-kun," she said. "Trust me; it's for the best."

"Oh. Well, this is the address to my PET," he said, opening a window, "and this is the access code."

"Thank you, Codey-kun." She closed her eyes, and a tunnel appeared in cyberspace. "The gateway is open now. You can go."

"Can I…ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Who are you?"

She smiled. "Just call me _onee-san_."

"Onee-san?"

"Goodbye, Codey-kun," she said. "I'll see you when you get back, I hope."

"Goodbye, onee-san." He disappeared down the gateway, and Imi disappeared too, off on a quest of her own.

—

Hideki clutched the PET in his fist as he ran. "Codey, I need help here!"

"Stop that man!" said the corporal, shedding singed fibers from his uniform. "Stop him!"

And at the corporal's flank, a boy and man in disco attire pursued in platform shoes.

"Codey, hurry!" said Hideki. "Do something; do anything!"

"You shouldn't rush Codey-kun so, Papa."

Abject terror washed over his face. "Imi!"

"He's very smart in some ways," she said. "Not so much in others."

He held the PET before him, and Imi looked back at him. "What…how…?"

She stepped in a hole in cyberspace and popped out the other end, the end in the real world. "Please stop running, Papa."

With the Net Saviors behind him and Imi in front, there was only one option: dash across the street, but thorny vines sprouted through the sidewalk and wrapped him, entangled him. "Ow!" he said. "Imi, you're hurting me! I thought you didn't want to hurt me!"

"I can't have you run again," she said. "Not again, not—"

"Open fire!" Pop, pop, pop! Bullets ricocheted off concrete blocks and shattered windows. A handful of constables took cover behind their cars and eked out pot shots at Imi. She glared at the officers, even as the shots bounced off her skirt, and raised pillars of stone to demolish their cover.

"Papa, fix me," said Imi, "fix—"

The mass of vines lay empty. Nakamura Hideki limped off and plucked the thorns from his leg.

"No, Papa, don't!"

Rainbow hexagons gathered overhead.

"Then that's how it shall be," Imi said. Her arm lengthened to a pointed blade, the Paladin Sword, and she marched to meet her enemies—R Blues and R Thunderman.

_If we must fight for Papa, then so be it._

—

They called upon the elements to do their bidding: fire and water, earth and lightning. They stabbed and slashed and thrust. They hopped and rolled like ballet dancers, but they emerged from these techniques not with a spread of the arms or a graceful pirouette. No, they planted their feet and unleashed the wrath of wide cannons and machine guns.

And all the while, the sights and sounds of this climactic clash flashed over Nakamura Masuyo—her spirit within Imi's mind.

"Do you see it?" she said.

"No!" cried the choir. "It's not our concern! She does as she wants!"

"I'm not talking to you!" said Masuyo. "I'm talking to Roll!"

The choir fragmented, its voices confused and in opposition. "What do you want with her?" "She's one of us now!" "She can't go back!"

"I stay here. I don't dissipate; I haven't become one of you. If I can stay here, so can she!"

"She doesn't matter!" said the choir. "We don't matter. We are one."

A Hyper Burst clobbered Enzan, knocked him through two concrete walls and into rubble.

"You can make a difference!" said Masuyo. "You didn't have to spend days or weeks on her stage, captive to her every thought. You can prove you're not like the others. You can prove to her that violence and death will not get her everything she wants."

The choir erupted in chaos and cross-talk, but one voice resonated clearly over the froth, the foam. "I…"

"You still have connections to the outside world," said Masuyo. "Stronger than anyone else here. Don't they matter to you? Don't they mean something to you?"

R Thunderman, bathing in the flames of the Salamander, rocketed through a gauntlet of Woody Towers, but Imi's armor bubbled and shifted. A water helmet enveloped her head, and water cannons covered her arms. She doused Raoul's flames and summoned another forest to defend her.

"Why don't _you_ do something?" cried a voice.

"You're her operator! Do something!"

"Do something! Do something! Do something!"

"She didn't listen to me," said Masuyo. "When she killed Egami, I knew. That was when she lost respect for humans. She would be willing to hurt them, kill them, just like she did to any navi."

With Raoul and Enzan out of commission, Imi cornered her father on the edge of the dimensional area. Imi's voice boomed over the choir, drowning all else out. "Now Papa can fix me. Now Papa can take me back."

But he vanished before her eyes, and she let out a harpy screech.

"WHO IS DOING THAT?" she cried, stomping into the floor. "WHO'S DOING THIS TO ME AGAIN? WHO'S KEEPING ME FROM MY PAPA?"

That's when she saw the shiny black limousine parked on the other side of the barrier.

"It's you," she said. "You did it! You're doing this!"

The limo turned and sped away, but Imi was faster. She ducked in and out of the net to escape the dimensional area, and she grew Falzer's great wings on her back to chase.

"Now she's going to kill again," said Masuyo. "She's going to kill again, and you will do nothing to stop her!"

"I…"

"Think carefully, Roll!" said Masuyo. "Think about what's happened to your friends and loved ones since you died. They've vanished, disappeared, all because of Imi. She is at the heart of it; she causes their suffering!"

Imi soared over the limousine and pounced on the engine block. The vehicle crumpled and shuddered to a stop.

"What do you want me to do?" Roll's voice was soft and weak, but it cut through with a clear tenor. It dominated the choir, and the others gave way. "I can't fight her. She didn't listen to me, either."

"The one thing I've learned about Imi is that if you yell hard enough, she'll listen," said Masuyo. "I don't have that energy anymore, but…"

"I do?"

"If you care enough. In the end, I'm just a part of her. I only reflect her doubt, but you have people to care about, don't you?"

"Rockman…Meiru—"

Imi yanked the door off the bolts, and a girl in ruby shoes scurried to the opposite end of the seat.

"Meiru-chan!" Roll cried. "She—she's going to kill Meiru-chan!"

"I'm surprised to see you here, Meiru-san," said Imi, "but maybe I shouldn't be."

"Wait, please!" said Meiru. "I—I just wanted to find Netto; I don't even care that much about stopping you; I just—"

"You kept me from my papa!" said Imi, slicing through a support strut. "You tried to take him away from me!"

"Get away from me, you crazy navi! You killed Rush and Roll; now you want _me_, too?"

"Make your choice, Roll," said Masuyo. "Do you want to wallow and die in Imi's mind, or do you want to do something, save the people who matter to you?"

The choir glowed with a strange light. It was scattered, diffuse, but it coalesced, gathered. "I…"

"No one keeps me from Papa, Meiru-san!" said Imi, waving the sword at Meiru. "No one!" She pulled back and thrust!

"MEIRU-CHAN!"

**6**

The city police found the limousine about a kilometer from the dimensional area. Enzan and Raoul, shaken from their bout with Echo but alive, rushed to the scene along with them. Paramedics walked the driver into an ambulance; the airbag cracked one of his lower ribs. Enzan checked the rear of the vehicle and found a sheared door, a back seat cleaved in two…

…and a twelve-year-old girl trembling like a piano string.

"Sakurai!" He climbed in and offered his hand, and she leapt into his arms, sobbing a storm. "What happened?" he asked. "Are you all right?"

"She was going to kill me!" said Meiru. "She was…going…to…" She pulled away and plopped her forehead on the trunk of the limo, banging her fists on the metal.

"Why would she go after you?" Enzan wondered. "And why did she stop?"

"She—she just said, 'No!' like she heard someone, and she left…" Her voice died to a whisper. "She just left."

Enzan rubbed her shoulder. "Sakurai, I'm glad you're all right. I know Netto would be—" On the floor of the back seat, he spotted the empty pink-and-white PET, but there was something unusual attached to it. A device, snugly locked into the slot-in port…

_She was the one slotting-in those chips. She was there earlier. She interfered with Echo, and Echo tried to kill her…_

"Netto…" Meiru wiped the tears from her face. "I need to find him, Enzan."

He snatched her PET and the device and thrust them upon her. "What is this?" he said. "How did you get this? Who gave you a Battle Chip Gate?"

"I wanted to help you," she said. "I wanted to help you stop Echo."

"You nearly got yourself killed today!" said Enzan. "Do you think Netto would ever forgive me if I let you die?"

"I'm doing this because of Netto!" she said. "If Echo is stopped, he'll come home, I know it!"

"Netto is missing, Sakurai!" said Enzan. "He's missing, and…" He pressed his palm to his forehead and shook off his anger. "…you're missing too. I could tell all the officers here that you're a missing person and should be put into custody. Do you realize that?"

"But you won't, will you, Enzan?" said Meiru. "You can't send me home without Netto, can you?"

He shook his head. "No, but…" He lowered his voice and snuck the Battle Chip Gate and her PET back into her hands. "Be careful, Sakurai."

"I will, Enzan." She paced off. Another limousine, identical to the first, pulled up to the scene, and she climbed inside and drove away.

And Enzan drummed his fingers on the trunk of the dilapidated limo. _Everyone really _has_ gone mad._

—

The hours passed. Enzan and the investigators examined every piece of debris Echo left behind. They combed the area for Nakamura, but he too was nowhere to be found. "He got away again," said Raoul, "which means she'll be looking for him again, too."

Since all seemed quiet on the Ameroupan front, however, Enzan headed home. He rode the elevator to his penthouse, stepped inside, and leaned back against the closed door. Just for one moment he could enjoy peace, relaxation, tranquility—

"_Oi_, Enzan!"

His eyes fluttered open. In the kitchen, a brunet boy in a blue bandana spooned French Vanilla ice cream into his greedy mouth.

"You're home early," said Netto.

"It was a long day." Enzan ambled to the table and sat across from Netto, who devoured the ice cream with brain-freezing speed.

"While we were on a break from training, Rockman checked the news. Two attacks in one day, huh?"

"We almost caught Nakamura-hakase, but there was some…interference."

"Interference?" asked Netto.

"Someone got their hands on a Battle Chip Gate without us knowing about it. They were using it to fight Echo."

"That's crazy! A Battle Chip Gate can't protect you like Cross Fusion can. That's why I was glad to hear Raoul finally got a Synchro Chip."

"It was Sakurai."

The spoon clinked in the bowl.

"Netto?"

All mirth wiped off his face. "Meiru…was here?"

"I spoke with her after we rescued her from her limo. Echo nearly…" He paused. "Echo nearly killed her."

Netto jumped from his seat. "Is she here? Is Meiru here?"

"No, she went back in another—"

"Meiru!" He bolted for the door. "Meiru, are you here?" He called into the hall. "Meiru!"

"Netto, come back!"

Enzan raced after him, but Netto scampered down the stairs, his voice echoing in the stairwell. "Meiru, where are you? Meiru!"

"Netto, stop!"

Netto burst through the door to the lobby and then onto the street itself. "Meiru! Meiru, answer me!"

At last, Enzan caught his friend and shielded him from the curious onlookers. "She's not here!" he said, shaking his shoulders. "She's gone!"

"Why didn't you bring her here, Enzan?" cried Netto. "You should've brought her here; you should've—"

Enzan frowned and fumbled for words. "I thought you told me you didn't want to see anyone."

"But it's Mei—" He stopped. His eyes glazed over, and he brushed Enzan's hands aside. "You're right," said Netto. "I'm sorry. That's exactly what I said, isn't it?"

Enzan was not at all assured by this remark. "Are you sure it's all right?" he said. "I can find—"

"No, no! Let's go back and have some ice cream." Netto pushed through the revolving door. "Are you coming?"

"I'll be there in a moment," said Enzan.

Satisfied, Netto strolled to the elevator, and Enzan watched his friend and comrade disappear behind its steel doors.

"I'm very concerned, Enzan-sama."

He looked out at the street, where passers by continued with their business none the wiser.

"So am I, Blues. So am I."


	14. The Brothers Hikari

**Chapter Eleven: The Brothers Hikari**

It was dark, and it was light. How this could be she did not understand, but there it was. The world outside shimmered in crimson hues, and dark blue dots darted before her and eluded her gaze.

_What is this place? Where am I?_

"Are you awake?" a voice boomed. "Can you hear me?"

The sound rattled her cage. Though she saw not bars or walls, it enveloped her, and she was captive to its vibrations. _Stop it! Go away!_

"Give it some time," said another. "She's still initializing."

The first chuckled. "I guess I'm just excited."

Why should they be excited? Who were these people? How did they know her?

"If you can hear us, can you try to move something?"

Move something. Now there was a thought, but what could she move? _How can I move something if I'm just a thought, a feeling, a—_

Twitch. There was something else, something that responded to her, obeyed her. She wanted to move, and it did.

And there were more of them, in different places and shapes. Some longer, some shorter; ten of them closer, and ten of them further. They wiggled and curled. They heard her thoughts and acted together; like soldiers, they heeded her call.

"That's good!" said the voice. "That's very good. Why don't you open your eyes?"

_Eyes? What eyes? What are eyes?_

Brilliant rays poked through slits in the world. They bored into her skull; they blinded her.

"Eek!" She planted her palms over the slits, and the rays vanished. "It…it hurts!"

"It's all right!" Sounds approached, one after another. "Don't be afraid," whispered the voice. "You'll get used to it."

She opened a crack between her fingers and peeked. The light was dim, so she widened the gap. She blinked and squinted and sat upright on an infinite floor, and beside her, a strange figure with a blue helmet stared in awe.

"We did it, Netto-kun!"

"_Aa!"_

_What is it? What did they do? _"Excuse me," said the girl, "but what is this place? Who…" She held her hands out and waved her fingers, which stretched against lavender gloves. "Who am I?"

"She's right," said the other voice, the one called Netto. "She needs a name."

"I…I hadn't thought about a name," said the boy's navi. "What do you think?"

"She was made for the simulator. Why not call her Sim?"

The blue navi nodded in agreement. "So it is. Nice to meet you, Sim-chan."

"And…who are you?"

"Oh, my name is Sai—" He stopped, and he looked at a floating screen. Netto winced but said nothing.

"What is it?" asked Sim.

"Forgive me," said the navi. "I am Rockman."

"Rockman," she said, swirling her lips. "Rockman…"

"Netto!" said another voice. "I'm home!"

"_Hai!"_ said Netto. "Sorry, Sim, but we have to go meet Enzan! Be back later!"

"Wait!" Rockman stood to plug-out, but Sim caught his arm. "What…what is my purpose, Rockman? Why am I here?"

Rockman smiled and knelt beside her, stroked her hair—hair she didn't even know she had. "To help us," he said. "To help us defeat Imi-chan."

_To defeat…Imi?_

Sim released him, and he plugged out.

_Who is Imi?_

She climbed to her feet and searched the empty horizon, the endless sky, all in the bizarre colors of the cyberworld.

_Who am I?_

**1**

"You did WHAT?"

There were several reasons Netto winced at this remark. First, Enzan didn't get angry very often. Haughty? Yes. Dismissive? Sure. He was who he was, after all—in his eyes, the best Net Battler on the face of the planet. Fending off evil as Net Saviors had mellowed him to some extent, to be sure; what was once staunch rivalry mellowed to mutual respect as they fought together. It was largely thanks to that respect that Enzan had taken Netto in and kept his location secret for so long.

But all the same, Netto cringed, for he faced Enzan…

…in the kitchen…

…with a steak knife.

"Enzan-sama."

"_What_, Blues?" Enzan barked. "Didn't you just hear—"

"Perhaps you should put the knife down."

Enzan spotted his reflection on the blade and relaxed. "I guess so." He dug the blade into the tenderloin and leaned back in his chair. The dinner had started off well enough: small talk over the news of the day—no sign of Echo or Nakamura, which wasn't bad, for Raoul had flown to Japan that morning to be tested for his Synchro Chip. Hopefully that wouldn't take more than a week or two to calibrate for him. Netto did balk a bit at mention of his father, but that went with the territory these days.

Then, Netto announced that he and Rockman performed an experiment: they pooled the data from all their Soul Unisons into a single file and used it to run a navi, a new navi, the one they called Sim, who was hanging out in Enzan's training computer as they ate.

Hence Enzan's reaction. "You did WHAT?"

"Rockman thought it would give the new navi a more diverse moveset," said Netto.

"Sim-chan is going to be a much better opponent than the viruses we've been training against," said Rockman.

"But…where did you get the frame? The soul data?" Well that was a silly question. "How did you—"

"They used the prototype," said Blues. "The mark VII."

Enzan was floored. "You used a prototype from _my_ company?"

"It works great!" Rockman chimed in. "We had no trouble adjusting her parameters."

_If only it were so easy to adjust people's parameters in real life…_ Enzan paced around the table, shaking his head.

"What's wrong?" asked Netto.

"I don't like it," he said. "I don't like it at all. Netto, you created a navi to train against, to help you fight Echo, but…navis aren't meant for that. Right now, we have no idea if her code is even stable. Rockman's Soul Unisons might not be compatible with each other. She could experience bugs or errors, and then you'll have created a navi only to have her suffer and…"

But Netto sprang from his seat. He planted his hands on the table and looked firm into Enzan's eyes. "I need this," he said. "We need this. Since Rockman and I got here, we haven't been able to recreate that power, and you and I both know that's the best shot we have to defeat Echo, don't you?"

Enzan sighed. _What good is a power if you never face Echo, never use it?_

"Netto-kun," said Rockman, "maybe we should introduce them to Sim-chan and see what everyone thinks then."

"I agree," said Enzan. "Let's go."

—

_Who is Imi? Who am I?_

The room was empty, barren, devoid of life and adornment in both the real world and cyberspace. Drab gray walls boxed her into a small, white pedestal, yet raw, open space confined her in the digital realm. A curious, unnerving paradox.

_I don't know what's worse: to be trapped in a small place…or a large one._

She wandered this void, this prison of hers, but she found no one else to talk to, no one to tell her who she was or why she was there, why this Netto and his Rockman created her.

She did, however, discover a loose panel in the floor. She tossed it aside, and a terminal appeared. Sure enough, there were other programs here: meticulously labeled and numbered, they all read the same.

"Training Program 1. Training Program 2. Training Program 3. Training Program 798…"

798 was probably a bit much. Surely Training Program 1 would do fine. Anything was better than this emptiness, and how dangerous could program #1 be?

"Training Program 1 initiated," said the computer.

A score of knights spawned around her. They floated on air and brandished sword and shield.

_That dangerous._

"Wave One, start!"

The knights charged her and thrust! She leapt from the center, and iron crunched on iron; the knights collided and bashed into each other, but they regrouped and charged again, this time as a unified line, a cavalry rush. Sim dug her feet into the ground, stared into their eyes—their visors, their helmets…

…and ran.

She blazed a path across the open plane, and the knights dove and lunged at her heels.

"Wave One, time expired."

_That's good, right? That means they're going away._

"Wave Two units have been added to the current wave. Start!"

A flock of dragons shot molten flame across her trail.

_That's not good. This isn't good!_

And to Sim's surprise, the infinite plane she walked on…had a wall: a tall, flat wall. The hordes swarmed around her, the knights rattled their swords, and Sim beat on the invisible barrier that cornered her.

"Help me…" she said. "Someone—Rockman, help me!"

A fireball sailed overhead, and a couple loose hairs on her head burned from end to root. The knights marched upon her, and the dragons swooped from above. Sim shut her eyes and thrust her arms out. "Stop it!" she said. "Just stop!"

They didn't stop. They kept marching, but there was beside her a noise. A faint pitch from high to low. Her hand grasped frigid metal. It was an object: something long, neither light nor heavy. Her index finger rested on a springy piece. She pulled back on the object; she looked through its scope, and she saw clearly. She saw everything.

TCH-CHEW! The shot vaporized a knight.

TCH-CHEW! TCH-CHEW! TCH-CHEW! The infantry dissipated, and Sim discarded the Scope Gun. She glared at the dragon flock, and lightning fried their wings.

_Not bad. What's next?_

"Wave Two terminated. Wave Three, start!"

As if to answer her, the system bristled with a new set of viruses. Sparks showered from their cheeks, and they hurled jagged thunder bolts. She closed her eyes once more, and wooden spires thrust from the floor.

"Wave Three terminated. Wave Four, start!"

Sim rained fire on her enemies—walking, anthropomorphic trees. They were no match for her.

"Wave Four terminated. Wave Five, start!"

Wind blasted helmets and picks over the edge.

"Wave Six, start!"

And dice rolls decided the viruses' fates.

"Wave Seven…Wave Eight…Wave Nine…"

Sim smirked. _Bring them on. I'm ready. I have power; I have—_

"Simulation ended."

_What? "Simulation ended"? By who?_

A blue glove closed the access panel in the floor. Rockman positively beamed at her. "Amazing, Sim-chan! More than we could've hoped!"

But his partner beside him—a taller, stoic navi, in red, white, and purple—stared at her behind his dark visor.

"I recognize you," Sim said. "This…" Her arm turned into a bright red sword, and she approached. "This is yours, isn't it? This is—" Blues stepped back and raised his own sword to defend himself. Sim halted. "I don't understand."

"Impressive," Enzan said. "Alive and awake for less than half an hour, and she's already combat capable." He plugged Blues out of the system. "I'm taking her tomorrow. We'll have my people analyze her, make sure she's stable. If she is…then she can stay."

"Is that all right with you, Sim-chan?" asked Rockman.

"Is what all right with me?"

"We're taking you to IPC tomorrow."

"What's that?"

"The place you were made," he said, "before you were born."

**2**

Morning in Ameroupe. Wispy clouds crawled through the sky, and the towering skyscrapers shined in the ten-o'clock sun. The air was clear and dry; rocky peaks loomed on the horizon, distant yet within reach, as if one could poke through the bulletproof glass of the limo and touch the summit, brush it with one's fingertips.

"What is this, Rockman?" Sim pointed out the window. A barricade cordoned off a narrow alley, and craters peppered the asphalt.

"I don't know."

"It's where we battled Echo last," said Enzan. "She killed two men trying to find out when they saw her father."

"Echo is Imi-chan," Rockman explained. "She used the name _Echo_ when she was murdering people who touched her. I don't know why."

"To stay secret," Blues said. "She doesn't use a disguise anymore because she doesn't care who knows who she is."

Enzan nodded. "That's what makes her dangerous."

The car weaved through traffic on the way to its destination, and the sole passenger—Enzan—folded his arms and waited patiently to arrive. Truth be told, Enzan was a bit nervous to leave Netto home alone. Not that it should've mattered, for he left Netto alone all the time, but always with Rockman. What Netto might do to amuse himself without Rockman, Enzan couldn't begin to fathom, but it was a necessary risk: no doubt if he brought Netto with him to IPC, someone would recognize him, and the game would be over.

Bringing Rockman along was bad enough. Sim balked at the idea of going without him, and Rockman hesitated to abandon her. Enzan didn't mind much. Rockman, at least, could hide within Enzan's PET and stay out of sight.

The limo parked beside a cylindrical tower, and a stone sign with the IPC logo greeted them.

…along with a gaggle of assistants and secretaries.

"Mr. Ijuuin, thank goodness you're here!" "Mr. Ijuuin, we have budget proposals…" "Mr. Ijuuin! Mr. Ijuuin! Mr. Ijuuin!"

"Leave your issues on my desk," Enzan said. He walked inside, and the posse of staff bickered over who got to follow him first.

"There are a lot of people here," said Sim. "Is it always like this?"

Enzan sighed. "I've not been to the office in some time. I didn't think there would be so many concerns in need of my attention, though."

"The people under Enzan-sama value his opinion," said Blues.

"The people under me should learn to value their own opinions."

Enzan snuck into an elevator and promptly rebuffed the parade in his honor. None of them were cleared for where he was going; this was an elevator that only went down. At the bottom of several flights, the doors opened, and Enzan waded through an extensive array of computers, robotic arms, and other machines.

"Ah, Mr. Vice President!" A bespectacled man with frizzy hair eagerly shook Enzan's hand. "I'm so glad you're back! How goes the fight against Echo?"

"Not well," said Enzan, "but we seem to be in a lull."

"That's good to hear, good to hear. I got your mail; is she here?"

"Sim." At his behest, the navi appeared. A blend of violet hues, she was sleek and smooth with crisp, blonde hair and sharp hazel eyes.

"Ah, she's cute," the scientist remarked. "Well how do you do, dear…Sim, is it? My name is Dr. Castleman. Pleased to meet you."

She blinked blankly, and Castleman frowned.

"She _does_ have translation routines, right?" he said.

"She was just initialized yesterday," said Enzan. "They may still have to load."

Castleman huffed. "Load-on-demand is the way to go these days, isn't it." He leaned forward to meet Sim's gaze. "How about now? Do you understand me?"

She looked to her left. _"_It's all right, Sim-chan," said a voice. "You can speak to him."

"Who's that?" said Castleman. "Someone else in there I don't know about?"

"No one," said Enzan. "Sim, introduce yourself."

She bowed. "I am Sim. Pleased to meet you."

"Good, very good," said Castleman. "Well, why don't you follow me please, and we can get started."

—

And start they did. Castleman wasted no time picking Sim apart. He paged through her code with meticulous interest, muttered when he found something of note, and traced his pen along the strings of characters.

"You know, this is really quite incredible," he said. "A lot of these code fragments—they're not even written the same. It's clear they came from different sources. How did you manage to integrate them so well?"

"I can't say," said Enzan.

Castleman raised an eyebrow. "Curious." He grinned at Sim. "You must have quite an arsenal, yes?"

"I…yes."

"And a talent for understatement," said Castleman. "Well, Mr. V, you wanted to know if she's stable. I'd guess she is. I mean, she's walking, she's talking. I'd say that this prototype frame and soul data turned out very robust despite the…uh, 'modifications.' There's not a whole lot I could tell you at this stage without significantly more time. I tell you what, though: this hodgepodge of different effects and abilities—it reminds me of someone."

"Who?" said Enzan. "Echo?"

"Well, yes," said Castleman. "I've followed Nakamura's work over the years; if Imi really is the fruit of his labor, then no doubt she's an impressive piece of technology, but I always found those imitative algorithms just a bit dull. Copying is so…" His cheeks wrinkled, and he spat out the word like a bitter speck of food. "…cliché. No, I tell you who this reminds me of," he said, waving the pen. "It reminds me of Rockman."

Enzan flinched. "Why Rockman?" asked Sim.

"Oh, just woke up and already know about Rockman, do you?" said Castleman.

"He made me."

Castleman laughed. "He's not a scientist, dear; he's a navi: a very special navi, at that. Rockman revolutionized the field of network navigation. If I had just twenty minutes to look over his code—"

"Dr. Castleman—"

"You see, Mr. V over here asked us to figure out what makes Rockman tick," said Castleman. "Just the sheer number of things he can do—those Soul Unisons and Crosses and things—it's an amazing amount of versatility for one navi, and he always puts his own spin on what he gets, not like Imi."

Enzan glared. "Dr. Castleman—"

"How long's he been missing?" said the doctor. "Four weeks? Five?"

"38 days," said Enzan.

"Well, there you go," said Castleman. "38 days, such a pity. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yes, Sim reminds me of Rockman, which means…it might be useful to call Yuu."

"I don't think that's really—"

"Are you kidding? That man can't get enough of this stuff. Give him a good navi mystery, and he's like a kid in a candy store—no, a kid who _owns_ a candy store." Castleman cocked his head and tapped the pen on his lips. "I can't say I know what he's been working on lately, though, and I imagine he's been looking for his son, of course, but—"

"That's quite enough," said Enzan. "Is there anything else?"

"Well…I would like to show some of my colleagues this code," said Castleman. "They may spot something that I haven't. Are you sure you don't want me to call Yuuichirou?"

"Let Hikari-hakase look for Netto," said Enzan. "Show your colleagues the data and let me know if you find anything. I'll be in my office."

"Very good, Mr. V!" A glare. "Er, Mr. Vice President."

—

On the way to his office, Enzan had several tasks to dispose of. First, he took the stairs, knowing his staff wouldn't look for him there. Second, he asked Rockman to apprise Netto of Castleman's findings.

"Sure," he said, "I'll just take Sim-chan along with me—"

"I'd like Sim to stay," Enzan said, "in case they do discover something else while we're here."

"If that's all right with Sim-chan…"

"I—"

"I'm sure it's fine," said Enzan. "Isn't it?"

"O-of course," Sim said.

"Netto-kun and I will be in the training room, then," Rockman said, and he careened through the net back to Enzan's penthouse.

And from his office on the 77th floor, Enzan scanned the skyline, his arms crossed behind his back.

"Blues."

"It's very late in Japan. I haven't had any success yet."

"Keep trying, will you?"

"Understood."

Silence. Sim dangled her legs over Enzan's shoulder and glanced between Blues and his operator. Both were motionless.

"Can I ask—"

"You want to know what you're doing here still," said Enzan.

"It's not because you think Dr. Castleman will find something else, is it," said Sim.

"No, it isn't." He pulled out a leather swivel chair and placed his PET on the desk. Blues and Sim hopped onto the polished wood, and Enzan locked his fingers together. "You seem to be in good health," he told Sim, "and if that is the case, then I'll need you to do something for me…" He looked at Blues. "…for both of us."

"What is it?"

"We need you to look after Netto," Enzan said, "and Rockman, too. They're going to ask you to train with them, to help you defeat Echo by unlocking their power."

"Their…power?"

"Netto and Rockman are supposed to be missing," Enzan said. "As far as you're concerned, you don't' know where they are, and you've never met them. Do you understand?"

"Why are they hiding? Why are they trying to achieve some power?"

Enzan sighed. He leaned back in his chair, and it tilted, reclined. "I suppose you should hear the whole story to understand." He closed his eyes and spun the tale for Sim to hear.

**3**

"It was raining," Enzan said. "When Netto's plane landed, it was raining. The showers splashed on the terminal windows, and it was sticky. Sticky and cold.

"Netto didn't bring any bags. He said he left suddenly, that he wanted a chance to stop Echo before she got away for good. I told him his family was looking for him, but he brushed it off like he always does. 'We'll be back home before dinner!' he said. Never mind that the flight had taken half a day already.

"Echo was looking for her father, Nakamura-hakase. He'd fled to Ameroupe a few days earlier to escape from her, but Hikari-hakase—Netto's father—wanted his assistance in analyzing Echo. They'd trapped her at the Ministry of Science and studied her in captivity, but it wasn't enough. Only her creator could fully understand her complexities. So, we locked down his passports, his assets, his identity, and we searched the city for him. When Echo escaped, she searched too, and we fought. How many times, Blues?"

"Three times."

"Three times. We fought three times before Netto arrived." Enzan winced and rubbed his chest. "She cracked one of my ribs, right here. That's why I was glad to see Netto, to have his help fighting her. I didn't think for a moment I would regret having him here, even if it was under unusual circumstances.

"We caught up to Nakamura-hakase at a train station on the edge of town. He was trying to use a forged identity to get through security. He was very prepared: he had a pair of contact lenses to defeat the iris scanner and a stick-on fingerprint to match. The one thing he forgot was a photo ID. When we arrived and took him into custody, he said, 'We don't use photo ID in Japan anymore!'

"That's when I told him he wasn't in Japan.

"And then the roof of the station caved in. Echo had arrived; I don't know how. I wish I knew how she found out, but she has fingers everywhere in the net, and she establishes new connections faster than we can destroy them. I called for a dimensional area, and Netto and I used Cross Fusion to fight her. With the two of us, the battle was fairly even. Netto is a good partner to fight with—he's a little headstrong, which can be a detriment, but if you ask him to do something, he'll get it done, and often enough, he has this…uncanny vision of how to defeat an enemy. I still don't understand that. I'm not sure if it's logic or strategy or just dumb luck, but he does it somehow. Netto and I pulled off an old trick on Echo: I held her off with a pair of swords, and Netto shot her with a Hyper Burst. We thought it worked, but she healed through it, pummeled me, and decked Netto with a Yo-yo. I was all right, but Netto…" He shook his head. "I'd never seen him in such pain. And he was fine, too. I checked his arm and ribs; there was nothing broken, not that I could tell, but he latched onto me, grabbed my elbow, like he was going to crush the bone between his fingers.

"Echo must not have thought that was good enough. She hit us with some kind of energy attack—a white light, a focused beam. I dragged Netto away, but the blast separated us. I heard him cry out, and then…nothing. I didn't know where he was. The best I could do was fight Echo and work my way around the station, hoping to find him, but there was rubble everywhere. Crossbeams smashed into the rails. Sheet metal melted in the flames of our battle. I fought her, and I searched, but I didn't find him.

"He found me."

Enzan rose. He went back to the window to look out at the city.

"He was different. His boots and gloves were a lighter blue, an electric blue, and the stripes on his armor and helmet sparkled. He said, 'Imi-chan! I am your opponent!'

" 'We don't have to fight, Netto-san,' she said. 'Just give me Papa.'

" 'You have to pay!' Netto said. 'You have to pay for what you did to Roll-chan!'

"And he leapt. He slotted-in a Wide Blade and cleaved her in two. She healed from it, but she wasn't the same. She was weak, soft. Netto shot at her with the Rockbuster. She evaded the attack, probably with an Area Steal—I don't remember—but Netto kept shooting, and the bolts destroyed…everything. Those shots are supposed to be a default attack, yet he vaporized the station with them. The ground crews are still filling the holes he dug with them, even now, 38 days later. When he finally stopped shooting, there was nothing left. The land within the dome was a barren pit, littered with the wounded. We lowered the dimensional area, and Netto collapsed. Nakamura got away too, and there was no sign of Echo.

"I almost took him to the hospital myself. My driver and I carried him to the car, and Rockman said nothing. He said nothing! His operator was unconscious at best, maybe dying at worst, and he said nothing. He was in a daze; that's all there is to it. We got halfway to the hospital when Netto woke up, and all he could say was, 'We had it! We had it! Where did it go?'

"He insisted he was all right, and I took him home with me, for he had no place to stay, but all that night, he spoke of only one thing: the power he and Rockman had unlocked in their battle against Echo. He also said something else. 'The only way to defeat Imi-chan is to surprise her.' "

"Rockman said that," Blues said.

"He did?"

"He did."

"So it is then. After that, Netto and Rockman started working in our training room. Every day while we're on duty, they fight together, hoping to recapture that moment and to be able to trigger it at will, so that one day, they can defeat Echo before she even knows they're there."

"And in the meantime," Sim said, "Echo is on the loose."

"I asked him many times to help me keep her at bay," Enzan said, "but it was always one thing or another. Maybe she would begin to copy that power as well, or she would start targeting him if she feared it. On and on. After a while, I stopped asking."

A pause.

"That's why I need you to tell me things," Enzan said, "because I don't know the person who got off that plane. I don't know the person who lives in my home. I don't know…I just don't know."

"What's going to happen me?" asked Sim.

"They're going to train with you, fight you. Day and night, hour after hour, until you can't take it anymore, until they can't take it anymore."

"I don't think I want that."

"I doubt that you should."

Another pause.

"Enzan-sama."

"What is it?"

"I have a line open."

"Good. Sim, if you would excuse us?"

She nodded and departed, and Enzan squared himself in the chair. This was not going to be pleasant.

"Put him through."

A man with brown hair and thin-rimmed glasses rubbed his eyes on the screen.

And they widened. "Enzan-kun!" said Yuuichirou. "It's very late here in Japan; has something happened?"

Enzan was loathe to disappoint Yuuichirou. Indeed, the scientist was very cross to hear that Enzan only wanted to "borrow his expertise," but he soon changed his tune when he glanced over Sim's code.

"This is Rockman's code," he said, "from his Soul Unisons…"

"Is that so?" said Enzan.

"Where did you get this, Enzan-kun? Did you see Netto? Or is it from Echo, perhaps?"

"I can't tell you where we found this code," Enzan said, "but…I hope to. Soon."

"Just find him," Yuuichirou said. "Find Netto and bring him home."

"I'll try."

The screen flickered off. Only Blues remained, projected on the desk. "Enzan-sama."

"Why did I call Hikari-hakase?" said Enzan. "Is that what you wanted to ask?"

"No," said Blues. "I know why: to give him hope."

"Hope is important, isn't it."

"It is."

Enzan carried his PET to the window, and navi and operator admired the clear morning, the noonday sun, and the craggy summits of the hills beyond.

**4**

"They're going to train with you, fight you. Day and night, hour after hour, until you can't take it anymore, until they can't take it anymore."

Sim bounded between servers and wondered if she should really be in such a hurry to go back to the penthouse…

…to go home.

_I can fight. I'm good at fighting, but to fight…all the time? Every day and every night? Without rest or relent?_

It was a foreign concept to her. Even the few waves of the training program were a stressful experience.

_But I think was developing a rhythm. I fought well until Rockman stopped me._

And now she was meant to fight against him.

Even then he was fighting. Sim returned to the training computer and watched from a distance as Rockman obliterated wave after wave of viruses. Slash, slash, shoot, shoot. He fired off single Vulcan rounds and nailed Mettools square between the eyes. In three strokes, he slaughtered a score of Blue Demons, and the computer kept the running tally. "Wave 128, Wave 129, Wave 130…"

_I know we're programs, but isn't that a bit _too_ machine-like?_

Indeed, the demonstration before her was hard to reconcile with the Rockman who welcomed her into the world. He dispatched of his enemies with precision, speed…

…and power.

_They created me to increase their power. They created me to serve a purpose—_their_ purpose._

And yet she couldn't resent them for this, as they could've just as easily not given her life at all.

"Wave 134…"

Then again, her life was not hers. Netto and Rockman asked her to do something for them, to service them. So did Enzan. All these people—they demanded her compliance to further their own ends, whatever they may be. What ends were hers? What purpose belonged to her and her alone?

_Who am I?_

"Ah, Sim-chan!"

The assault ceased; the viruses retreated. Rockman ended the training program and called to her.

"When did you get back?" he asked.

"Just now," said Sim.

"I see. Well, Netto-kun and I would like to spar with you if you're up for it. Right, Netto-kun?"

"What do you say, Sim?" asked Netto. "Should be fun, yeah?"

_They treat it like a game. Is that because it is a game to them, or…?_

But with two sets of eyes fixed upon her, Sim buckled. With a nod, she relented, and Rockman said, "Good, good. I'll try to go easy, so you can get the hang of things, okay?"

Another nod.

"Are you ready?"

Nod nod.

"All right then…Rockbuster!"

Pew! She dodged. Pew! She rolled. Twin rotors sprouted from her back, and she flung the blades. Buster bolts scattered off the tips, and Rockman leapt and flipped over the deadly Propeller Cutter.

"Very good, Sim-chan!" he said. "Maybe I don't have to go easy after all."

Even in battle he fought with a smile, but if what Enzan told her was true, that smile masked something. Was it determination? Courage? Valor?

Or something…darker?

_They're still playing with me. They're not fighting like they must have against Imi._

"Typhoon!"

_If I was made to fight, then fight me like you mean it!_

The wind swirled and pulled her in, but Sim crouched low. In spite of the windstorm, the pulse of battle fueled her, just as it had against the swarms of viruses. This was what she was meant to do. She was meant to fight.

_I fight because I was designed to. Why do _you_ fight, Rockman?_

He didn't answer her. He'd vanished from the field of battle. Where did he go? Did he disappear in the cyclone?

Two lines of blue light streaked around the eye. "This is an old trick, Sim-chan! Let's see how you handle it!"

_They're swords! He's going to—_

"Double Whirling Cut!"

Clink, clink, boom! The swords shattered, and Sim's skin and armor glowed with a brilliant sheen.

A metallic sheen. She reared back and punched!

"Dream Aura!"

BANG! A blue fist whammed on the white shield. Rockman's heels skidded on the floor. Repelling the Metal Break sapped his strength, but he gritted his teeth and faced Sim with green fire in his eyes.

_There won't be an encouraging quip this time._

"Flame Sword!" Swipe! A line of heat cut at Sim from shoulder to hip. She wielded a gray water cannon and doused the room, yet Rockman disappeared from sight and peppered her again and again with fire from near and far. The Flame Sword pierced her side, and a Heat Shot engulfed her in an inferno.

_What is he doing? Why fire?_

She poked her armor, and a droplet of purple stuck to her finger and burned to the touch.

_I used the Metal Soul, and now…I'm melting._

"Kanketsusen!"

Cold! Sudden, jarring cold! Like jumping from a sauna into a blizzard. Sim crept from the epicenter, but her movements were slow and crooked. Her armor—her whole body—stiffened and cracked. The pieces no longer fit together. Thermal shock eroded her impenetrable defense, and she crawled on the ground, weak and helpless.

_There has to be something—something I can do! I've barely touched him; I've—_

Bright pink light coalesced in a globe. It sat at the mouth of the Rockbuster; it expanded and grew. "It's been a good fight, Sim-chan," he said, "but a fight isn't over until it's finished. Remember that. Remember…"

_I still have weapons! I still have—_

"Charge—"

A bow. A tall, pink longbow, with two yellow plugs on either side. Sim plucked the string and pulled back as far as her arms could spread.

_It's still too late. He's going to shoot; he's going to shoot!_

But the shot fizzled. The energy crackled in the air, and Rockman gaped at her, his hand on the buster, immobile, frozen.

"Roll-chan…"

_I see. That's why you fight: for her._ Sim released the bowstring, and the Roll Arrow logged him out instantly. Sim staggered to her feet and opened a window to the real world. "Rockman, are you all right?" she asked. "Are you—"

"We're…fine," said Netto, but his body betrayed him. Drops of sweat streamed down his forehead, and short and shallow breaths hissed from his lips. "Just fine!"

"You don't look well," Sim said.

"Just take a rest!" said Netto, hobbling from the training room. "Rest and repair and…we'll see you later, okay?"

"As you—"

The window closed. Sim kicked away the plate that covered the control panel and started the repair program, yet though the pair of rotating circles restored her data, they also brought a sense of foreboding. How many times would she call upon them to heal her? Was this all the future held: to be trapped in a repeating cycle of damage and health?

To stare down the barrel of his buster and see not the kind face who welcomed her to life but the stolid, stony gaze of an adversary, an enemy?

_I hope not. I hope…_

—

Despite Sim's hope, the days wore on. Battle in the morning, battle in the evening. On the weekends, Netto and Rockman borrowed a small dimensional converter and practiced in Cross Fusion, substantiating Sim to battle in the real world. Only on weekends, though, as the power bill made even Enzan shudder.

There were days when Sim didn't want to fight, and the pulse and rhythm of combat eluded her, yet Rockman would remind her of the stakes. He pointed to Imi's path of terror and claimed that sparring with Sim improved his and Netto's coordination, whatever that meant.

"Why don't you fight her yourself?" Sim demanded. "Enzan told me what happened when you came to Ameroupe. Why do you waste your time in training when you could fight her and achieve that power again?"

"It's no good if we can't control it," said Rockman. "When Imi-chan is injured, she runs. If Netto-kun and I can harness this ability, I'm sure we can defeat her before she has the chance to flee."

"And so you let her have her way with Enzan and Raoul and anyone else," Sim said.

"The harder we work, the sooner it will be that we can end this," Rockman said.

And work hard they did. Though Sim could grow weary of the constant battle, she cherished their duels. Granted, Netto and Rockman weren't superb tacticians; they were apt to dazzle her with unusual combinations, gambits that amounted to dice rolls: equally likely to seal victory or deal defeat.

Nor did they overpower their enemies through brute force. After all, Rockman was shorter and smaller than Sim was.

But their tenacity was unmatched, their teamwork unrivaled. They pulled off maneuvers Sim could hardly conceive of herself, and all through Netto's unspoken will, for during their battles, Netto seldom spoke a word. He slotted-in chips, and his eyes scoured the battlefield for Sim and for threats, but beyond that, he was silent.

Except when he was in pain.

Sim learned quickly that the best way to end a match was to fight hard and deliver a crippling blow to Rockman, for even if she couldn't best him outright, just one big hit would break his rhythm…

…and paralyze Netto with pain.

At first, she denied it, justified it. _He can't bear to see his navi hurt, that's all._ But the cycle was uncanny. Sure, Netto hid it well, but the signs were all there: his jaw clenched, and he gripped the projection pedestal as if to squeeze and crunch through the marble. Somehow, some way, Rockman's pain was Netto's as well, and Sim reconsidered her initial judgment of Rockman.

_Maybe they're training to overcome this pain, for if they didn't, and Rockman were hurt while fighting Imi…_

But Sim could hardly fathom how this was possible. She dared not share it with Enzan, despite his nightly check-ins to see how the day went while he was gone, fighting Echo. Sim learned that lesson the hard way when she told Enzan that Netto used the Greiga and Falzer chips against her in their training sessions.

"Those chips are too powerful, Netto!" Enzan had said. "You risk deleting her before she can even log out!"

Netto quietly complied with this, but the resulting training session the next day went an hour longer than the day before, and with no chance to recuperate between each bout. More than that: the resulting matches were cold, impersonal—even vicious. Rockman's sword swipes shattered the sound barrier and toppled her at point-blank range. Sim got the message: _If I tattle on them again, who knows how hard he'll fight me._

More than that, though: she feared what would happen if Enzan knew his houseguests shared pain. He was already unhappy with the situation; no doubt he would shut down the training for good, and then what would become of Netto and Rockman? Would they abide by such an arrangement, or would they do something drastic?

Would they strike out on their own, without Enzan's help?

Would they even take her with them, knowing she'd betrayed their trust?

_But then what will happen to me?_

Indeed, in spite of the exhaustive training regimen, Sim enjoyed her life. When she and Rockman weren't fighting, he gladly gave her the grand tour of the Internet, one website at a time. Each day brought with it a new curiosity, from small cafes on virtual riverbanks to colossal stadia, home to fierce battles, held for fun, sport, and entertainment. These sojourns from Enzan's penthouse offered her rare insight into the net at large. Just to see that the world thrived with life—in defiance of Echo, of Imi—delighted Sim. Perhaps one day soon, she would be able to visit these locales freely.

But Rockman was her eternal chaperone, and his presence alone restricted their movements. One day, he made the mistake of taking her to old stomping grounds—Japan's Internet City. They'd toured the town for no longer than five minutes when a short navi with a snowflake emblem proclaimed, "It's Rockman; it's Rockman! Tohru-kun, it's Rockman!"

That trip was very short-lived. Even so, Rockman was determined to take her places, to show her the world…

…and tell her all about Roll.

It started slow at first. The remarks were offhand; he may not have even noticed he was making them. One day, he stumbled upon Sim as she watched a fortune-teller on television. He stared for a moment, and Sim asked him what was the matter, to which he replied, "Oh, Roll-chan loves this show! Every day, Romeda-san has a different 'lucky item' to wear to make your wish come true."

"What was her wish?" asked Sim.

"I-I'm not sure," Rockman said, and he left it at that, but from then on, his references to Roll became more frequent. They visited a skating rink, and Rockman told Sim the story of how Roll had Iceman and Aquaman flood and freeze the park during a heat wave. At a tournament, he recalled how Mahajarama tricked Meiru into slotting-in a "Devil Chip" to turn Roll evil and let Count Elec control her. In the end, they prevailed, but Roll was too drained to participate in the rest of the bracket. Soon, the stories jumbled together, with tales of hopping down bottomless pits to thwarting evil schemes to paint the town pink, despite it being Roll's own color.

And in the face of all these stories, Sim had to ask the question. "What happened to Roll?"

"Roll-chan? W-why do you ask about Roll-chan?"

"You talk about her all the time."

"I do?"

"You do. Enzan told me Imi did something to her."

His face contorted; he looked away. "Imi-chan…attacked her."

"And?"

"She was hurt very badly," Rockman said. "She took all night to recover."

"You must miss her."

He babbled and glanced away. They sat on a bench overlooking a virtual lake, and Rockman, once he settled down, watched the water lap onto the shore. "I do miss her."

His bowed his head and closed his eyes, yet blinding himself to the world let him see clearly, see something…sad. His brow furrowed. He gripped the bench to steady himself, but that didn't stem the wave of sniffles, the stifled sobs.

And Sim recognized this energy, this outpouring of emotion, for he'd bottled it and crammed it within. It powered his buster shots and sharpened his blades. _When Imi attacked Roll, she didn't just injure her. She injured him too. _But this knowledge, though it assured Sim, came at great cost: to break down someone whose bravery was legend, whose courage was the stuff of fables…it was too much. "Rockman."

"I just wish she were here," he said, batting the tears away. "I wish—"

"It's all right." Sim sidled up to him and held his hand between her own. "I'm sure she wishes she were here, too."

"Sim-chan…" Their eyes met, and he smiled. "Thank you, Sim-chan."

"It's the least I could do," Sim said. "Will you be all right?"

He nodded vigorously, and Sim was relieved. Now that he'd confronted his grief, he could move past it, surely, and channel his energies, focus clearly, and achieve that power he and Netto attained—that phantom power of seven weeks ago.

_And then we'll be able to fight for fun, like other people do, and he'll enjoy it—no, _we'll_ enjoy it together, right? We'll—_

His hand jerked away. He raised it between them, and it wavered, trembled, but he pushed forward, toward her, and brushed her face.

"You're very pretty, Sim-chan," he said. "Have I told you that?"

_I'm…pretty? What does that mean? _"No, I don't think you have."

"I should have," he said. "I should've told you that a long time ago."

—

It was late, and Rockman returned to Netto for dinner. Sim declined to join them. Though she enjoyed an open invitation, she locked herself away in the training room computer, stood on the empty, infinite plane, and touched her fingers to her cheek and her lips.

_WHAT WAS THAT? WHATWASTHAT WHATWASTHAT WHATWASHTAT?_

She paced about the room; her breaths hastened. She blasted the floor with water and splashed it over her face. Maybe if she rubbed and scrubbed hard enough, _he_ would wash off.

But he didn't. She set the ground ablaze and danced in the fire to burn off his scent, yet it hung in the air amidst the smoke and soot. She just couldn't get him off of her, and the worst part was…he'd been _apologetic_ about it. He'd given her a way out; he was ready for her indignation, her surprise. Their lips parted, and he asked her, "Was that all right? Are you okay, Sim-chan?"

_No, I wasn't all right! You leaned into my face and kissed me, and I didn't know it was coming! I didn't think you would _do_ that! I didn't think…_

She didn't speak, either. His kiss paralyzed her lips; his touch shot pinpricks through her armor.

And now she was home.

_It never mattered when we fought. We kicked; we punched. We've maimed each other countless times now. How can you kiss someone and hold them after you've beaten them into submission? How?_

It was sick. It was twisted. That was the only answer.

_But I can't avoid him. He's everywhere. Everywhere I go, he's there. How am I supposed to get out of this?_

She could tell someone—Enzan, for example—but to tell him this would be absurd: he wouldn't know what to make of it anymore than she did. Nor would Blues. Nay, there was only one person in this house to speak of this to. Sim waited long into the night; she had to make sure Rockman was asleep in his PET before she trespassed into the room. At one in the morning, she ventured from her place in the training computer and zipped upstairs. She peeked into the room from a monitor. _I'm don't know how I'm going to wake him up, but—_

But a light was already on. At the desk, Netto toiled under a small lamp, just enough light to write, but most of the room lay draped in shadow.

"Excuse me, Netto," Sim said. "I need to speak with you."

"Sim!" he yelped. A pen tumbled from his fingers, and he searched under the desk for it.

"Are you…busy?" asked Sim.

"Shh!" said Netto. "Be quiet, or he'll hear you!"

"Rockman?"

Netto nodded.

"I'm sorry," Sim said, mumbling through the speakers. "I just need to talk to you about…what happened…"

"I know what happened," Netto said, putting pen to paper once again.

"You do? He told you?"

"Go home, Sim," he said. "We didn't have this discussion. Do you understand?"

"I let him kiss me, but I don't—"

"Don't tell me!" Netto said. "The less I know, the better!"

Sim growled. This was the last reaction she expected. If Netto knew what happened, he should have heard her out. Then again, maybe he was ashamed of Rockman's behavior or just as confused as she was or—

He was writing. Writing a letter, a letter on paper. Not an e-mail—an honest-to-goodness letter.

"What are you writing?" asked Sim.

"It's nothing."

Well, if it was nothing, then Netto wouldn't mind if Sim read it. She peered across the desk and started from the beginning.

"To Meiru.

"Are you well? It's very cold in Ameroupe right now. Rockman tells me this is the coldest winter they've had for the last twenty years! I hope it's not too cold in Japan."

_It's a little short, don't you think?_

"I wanted to ask if you received my last letter. I know I shouldn't have left so suddenly. I just wanted to protect you. As long as Echo is out there, she can hurt anyone, and after what happened to Roll, I was afraid. If I can help it, I won't let anything happen to you. That's what I told myself. That's what Rockman told me to think.

"It's not been easy. I'm worried about Rockman. We haven't fought Echo for weeks, and he thinks we can achieve this power, but I know why he wants to do this. I know…"

He stopped. "What are you still doing here, Sim?"

"Who is Meiru?" she asked. "What is Rockman doing?"

His eyes widened, and he stuffed the letter amongst a stack of papers inside the desk. "Go away, Sim!" he said. "Go away, and hope he doesn't know about this tomorrow."

"How would he know if you don't tell him?"

"He knows." Netto clicked off the lamp and sat in the dark. "Everything I think while he's awake, he knows."

**5**

The next morning's battle was a terror of the mind. Sim averted even a glimpse of Netto, lest he return it and be reminded of the night before.

_He's not safe from Rockman either. Both of us—we're trapped. I'm physically trapped, but he's trapped in the mind as well._

Except it was preposterous. Sharing pain was strange enough, but thoughts, feelings, memories? _It doesn't happen; it can't happen. It's impossible._

And yet, she couldn't deny the reality of it. Sim mercifully ended the bout with a Roll Arrow, breaking the unspoken rule that had existed since their first encounter. Sure enough, the sight of it halted Rockman in his tracks and made him easy pickings for her attack, and when he logged out, his pain transferred to Netto, who limped from the scene.

And Sim's heart sank. _How many times have I done that to him? How much does it add to his suffering?_

But he bore it well, never complained, and she realized he must carry a burden far larger than hers. Day after day she had fought Rockman, but he had the harder task—to remain himself while coupled to his navi, to keep from thinking the wrong thing, lest Rockman find out.

_What is it that divides them?_

Sim tried to discover the answer to this question. For nigh on a week, she lurked through the penthouse computers, tapped every microphone in the house, and listened, but neither Netto nor Rockman spoke of the secret—of how they came to be hooked together, of what Netto had to keep from Rockman. In fact, they rarely spoke at all.

_Of course not. They can speak without talking. They can think, and the other will hear._

And in the afternoons, after their battles, Rockman took her out on fanciful dates: luxurious dinners (though neither of them ate) and winding theme parks. "This is what you want, right?" he said. "This is what I'm supposed to do? This is what makes you happy?"

She answered yes. She always answered yes, for it kept him talking, but it was a dangerous game to play, for anything she told him—or asked him—would reach Netto as well, should he be awake, and if Netto realized what she was after, Rockman would too. Sim gave up on ferreting out the secret from Rockman, though she humored him and indulged his fantasies for a touch and a kiss. Indeed, she would've been at a loss for how best to proceed if Rockman hadn't confided in her.

If he hadn't asked her to call him Saito.

"I wasn't born a navi," he explained. "When I was human, Saito was my name."

"How could you be born human and become a navi?" asked Sim.

"I was dying, so Papa saved what he could of me as data and used it to build a navi for Netto-kun, for my brother."

Brothers! That had to be the connection; it wasn't clear how, but it was the best lead since she'd discovered their bond.

"Can you do that for me, Sim-chan?"

"Do what?"

"Can you say it?"

"Saito?"

He smiled. "It'll be just between us, okay?"

Just between them…yes of course, but the status quo deteriorated with each passing day. Enzan returned home each night exhausted and fatigued, both in body and mind. He fought with Imi physically and had to maintain the charade that Netto was missing as well. Blues was as brusque and gruff as ever, and despite their blooming romance, Rockman pushed Sim for longer hours, testing the theory that only desperation would trigger the transformation. He even gave this phantom power a name: Saito. He saw it as an extension of himself, yet he never elaborated on what it was or how it enabled Netto to wound Imi some 55 days ago. At last, Sim called the one person she could think of who might have answers.

And he recognized her immediately. "You! Iceman saw you; you're that navi! You were with Rockman in Internet City!"

"Hikari-hakase," she addressed him, "I need your help."

"Where is my son?" Yuuichirou demanded. "Tell me!"

"You mean where are your _sons_, don't you?"

His fury faded. "You—you know about Saito?"

"Not everything," Sim said. "Tell me: what is the connection between Netto and Sai—" Oh, that was weird. "…between Netto and Rockman?"

Yuuichirou leaned into the monitor and shielded the microphone. "You must understand: few people can even know what I'm about to tell you."

"I understand."

Satisfied, Yuuichirou recounted his efforts to resurrect Saito as a human, the culmination of which formed a link between Netto and Rockman's minds, a bridge that coupled their thoughts, feelings, and sensations. It was that bridge that robbed him of victory in the last battle against Imi…and cost Roll her life.

"Impossible!" Sim cried. "He—he told me she lived!"

"Imi attacked Roll twice," Yuuichirou said. "The first time she lived, but the second…"

Sim wobbled on her feet and staggered. _All this time…he didn't kiss me, touch me. He kissed _her_! He closed his eyes, and he saw her!_

"And since Netto disappeared, Meiru-chan has been missing too."

"Meiru?" Sim snapped back to reality. "Who is Meiru?"

"Meiru-chan is our neighbor, Netto's friend," Yuuichirou said, "and Roll's operator."

"But Netto wrote her letters!" Sim said. "If she's been missing—"

"You've seen Netto?" Yuuichirou said. "Where is he? Where are my boys? I need to know!"

_Does he not send the letters? Does he even know that she's missing?_

"Answer me, Sim!" said Yuuichirou. "Where are you? Where are my sons?"

"I'm sorry; I need to go!"

"Sim, wait!"

She cut the line. The questions were mounting. Rockman deceived her about Roll and used her to live out his fantasies with her.

_It doesn't make sense. Rockman is driven, focused. He doesn't act without a reason; not in battle, not in life. What is his purpose?_

She gasped. The puzzle pieces, jumbled and scattered, aligned for her and revealed the fragments of the picture at large. He'd revealed the truth, in snippets and parts through their battles, their romance.

He revealed it to her before they even met. "The only way to defeat Imi-chan is to surprise her."

And in their first encounter, he towered over her weak, crumbling form. "It's been a good fight, Sim-chan, but a fight isn't over until it's finished. Remember that. Remember…"

She remembered a kiss: soft and delicate, for if he looked at her the wrong way, touched her in the wrong place, she would shatter like a vase and crumble in his arms.

But still there were too many questions, and only one way to get the answers.

_I need to confront him._

—

She popped into the kitchen computer, but no one was there—just an empty bowl of ice cream, nothing more—so she took off upstairs, into Netto's room.

"Oh my…"

Paper. Paper everywhere. Crumpled wads bounced on the floor. Netto read the letters one-by-one. It was a journey back in time, and when he finished, he disposed of the offending manuscripts by any and all means: he tore and ripped at fragments and scattered them over the floor.

"What is this?" Sim said. "What's going on?"

"Meiru-chan is in town," Rockman said.

Netto shredded another letter. "She's not supposed to be here. She's supposed to be home and safe!"

"She will be safe, just—"

"She's not safe, nii-san! She isn't!"

"Can someone please explain?" asked Sim.

"Meiru was using a Battle Chip Gate, and Echo went after her!" Netto said. "Meiru could've died…just like Roll…"

"It's not like Roll-chan!" said Rockman. "How dare you say that, Netto-kun!"

"But Imi killed Roll, didn't she?" said Sim.

"That's not how it happened."

"Nii-san—"

"Imi-chan didn't kill Roll-chan," Rockman said. "I did."

"Stop it, nii-san!" said Netto. "Stop blaming yourself, please! We can face Echo again; we won't fail this time!"

"We always failed," Rockman said. "We failed to protect Cardman. We let her delete Mazeman. She made Yukawa-san destroy Slateman, and she murdered Rouletteman and Grove and Egami-san. And then she tortured Roll-chan. She must've showed her all the deaths at her hands, all the pain she'd caused and endured herself. She squeezed Roll-chan's life out of her."

He turned to Sim. "But Imi-chan was right. None of that even compared to what I did to Roll-chan. I chose to be human rather than be with her! I chose to be with my brother!"

_This…this isn't just grief. This is guilt; this is…his own torture. To make up for what Imi did to Roll, to make up for what _he_ did to Roll._

"You couldn't have known, nii-san," Netto said. "None of us could have known."

Wise words from the younger Hikari, but they fell on deaf ears. "It shouldn't have mattered!" he said. "I should've picked her!"

_How many times before has Netto tried to rouse Rockman from this runaway train of thought…and failed? And how many more tries will it take before he succeeds?_

"I should've picked her," Rockman said. "If I had, we would be happy. Both of us, together…"

"You kept Netto from contacting Meiru, didn't you?" said Sim.

"It wasn't fair," said Rockman. "That Netto-kun could have Meiru-chan while Roll-chan was gone—"

"I don't—" But Netto restrained himself, and the boys were silent.

"We need to stop Imi-chan," Rockman said. "We need to train, and—"

"No, nii-san, no more!" said Netto. "Enough training! Meiru is in danger—"

"We had the power, Netto-kun—the power to destroy Imi-chan for good!"

_To destroy…_

The pieces snapped together; the picture was complete. _It's not enough for him to stop her, to put her away and lock her up. He's going to kill her._

"Then Papa can revive me," Rockman said, "and I won't have to be a navi anymore. I won't have to be responsible when people die because of me, because I was made into something I wasn't supposed to be."

Sim shook her head. "This…this is insanity, Rockman! Don't you see what you've done to Netto, what you've done to yourself?"

"Help us, Sim-chan," he said. "Help Netto-kun and me become one, like we did before."

_They became one?_

"Then we can stop her," said Rockman.

Netto trembled, but the words spilled out of his mouth all the same. "Then…we can…stop her."

"We'll delete Imi-chan," they said together, "and she'll never hurt anyone again."

"No!" said Sim. "Let him go, Rockman! Let him go!"

"My name is Saito," they said. "Hikari Saito. Won't you help me, Sim-chan?"

—

She ran. Like the army of knights from her first battle—she ran from them, too. She fled the House of Ijuuin and left its mad occupants behind her.

_There's nothing I can do for them. Roll's death sundered his mind, and that was weeks before he created me, before I was born._

On the dark streets of Ameroupe's Internet City, she scorned the light of digital stars and clung to the shadows of building and posts. The world may have been able to move on despite Imi, but Rockman wasn't. He'd walled himself off in a self-flagellating loop, in which he punished Netto continually for tempting him to humanity, and yet, without Roll, that was all he had left, and that was what he would return to…

_...once he slays Imi._

And until then, Netto would suffer. _I could tell someone. Their father, perhaps…but it would do no good. At least Enzan is there to watch over them at night. If Rockman no longer felt safe there, who knows where he would go, what he would do._

No, trapping Rockman wasn't the answer. He was perfectly willing to trap himself, to isolate himself until he felt ready to face her.

_Imi._

Great screens overhead chronicled her path of death: a smashed limousine, wrecked streets. Rockman terrorized his brother, but Imi paralyzed a whole city in fear. Imi's methods were simple, though, and Sim wondered if, one day, she might get to test those methods in battle.

_Life is never as simple as combat, though. When we fight, even our lies have some truth to them. How we deceive the enemy also tells what we're protecting, what we want._

In real life, friends and foes are not so clear.

_Nor are heroes and villains._

On the screens above Sim, lead slugs bounced off Imi's skin, and stone pillars sprouted from the ground to defend her.

_But she _is_ my enemy. There is no doubt of that. I was meant to help Rockman, but that's not who I am. I am…_

Another image flashed on the screen: a girl, a boy, and his navi. It didn't matter what they looked like, though: the caption said it all.

"Day 55."

_That's who I am. I'm the one who ends this madness, so it goes not an hour, a minute, or a second longer than it must! I'm the one who will stop Imi, for as long as she roams free, Rockman will prepare for her, Enzan will chase her, and Netto will suffer. I will stop Imi, and Rockman will be free…_

_...to be a hero again._


	15. The Web

**Chapter Twelve: The Web**

In cyberspace, there's a hum. It's a faint hum, but it's always there. If you spend enough time in the empty places of the net, you notice this hum. Your ears adapt to it and tire of it, and soon you forget it was ever there, but it's a constant hum. It's omnipresent. It dulls both mind and body. It breeds complacency. When navis hear the hum, they stop paying attention. Their thoughts wander and drift.

"I think they designed it that way." Nakamura Hideki was fond of such theories, of looking for reason when there was naught but chaos and chance. Codey, however, knew that mistakes and happenstance drove technology, both its strengths and its weaknesses. Codey routinely exploited security flaws to protect his father, and if they were intended—be it a backdoor or something else—they weren't intended for_ him_.

Today, however, Codey's trick was his father's doing. He tapped the virtual floor with his foot, and a small attenuation of the digital hum soothed the minds of dozens of guards. It wasn't a free pass to destroy the server outright—that would snap them out of this trance—and Hideki, whatever his reasons, refused to outfit Codey with the weapons of war.

Thus, stealth was preferred. Codey slunk past the guards and into a data center. He inched his hands into a console, and they dissolved, forming a link between his mind and the computer—a bond far more efficient and speedy than any conventional interface. Images of the city streets flashed before him…

…and blurred. He ripped them apart and scattered the pixels. No trace could survive of what lay within; no one could know where his papa was.

"That's pretty clever."

Codey's hands popped out of the console. He swiveled, and a tall, stringy navi with red and blue lights on his shoulders towered over him.

"Aren't you going to finish?" said the guard.

"Ho-how did you wake up?" he asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

The guard smiled. "No, Codey-kun. You didn't do anything wrong."

Codey blinked. "…onee-san?"

The guard nodded and shrank. His body molded itself into a familiar form: the shape of a girl with bright white boots and gloves.

"I hoped you would come," said Imi. "I need your help."

But Codey shook his head, adamant. "Papa told me not to talk to you again. He told me you were…you were…"

"Crazy? Insane? A monster, a murderer?"

Codey nodded.

"Papa can be cruel," said Imi, "but he shouldn't worry. I'm not looking for him today."

"You aren't? Then what…?"

"I need you to find someone else for me," Imi said. "Someone important."

"Who?"

Imi grinned. "Watch." Her features morphed into those of her target, and Codey stared in awe and wonder.

"Will you help me, Codey-kun?" said the stranger's voice. "Will you help me find her?"

"What are you going to do when you find her, onee-san?"

"I need her to silence someone," said Imi, "or I will silence her."

**1**

"Sim-chan!"

The last glimmers of starlight faded and waned, but Enzan's penthouse was still dark; its occupants snored and rolled in slumber, save for one.

"Sim-chan! Where are you?"

Uneasy thoughts kept Rockman awake this night. Part of it was fear—what else might his brother do as he slept? Was there more than the letters? Was there betrayal?

_I see into his mind. I know he hasn't told anyone. I know we're still safe here._

But somehow, in his waking moments, Netto misdirected Rockman. He turned him away from the thought of Meiru and buried the experiences of writing in the cold recesses of his mind.

Their mind.

_We can't achieve that power again if we're hiding things from each other. I can't become Saito if Netto-kun holds back._

That was the point of Sim—to keep them from holding back, to push them to the limits of their endurance and abilities, so Netto would have no choice but to relinquish that last, hesitant bit of control. Then they would come together, and Rockman would be ready to annihilate Imi.

_Just like she did to Roll-chan._

But where was Sim? Where did she go? Where could she have gone? It didn't make sense; she never went anywhere without him. Not outside the house, at least. For all her prowess in combat, she could be surprisingly timid. Like when she triggered the training programs—she ran until the viruses cornered her. Then, and only then, did she fight, but when she unleashed her wrath, she slaughtered the waves. She decimated their ranks and need not bat an eye for it.

That was in battle, though. What cornered her now? Why would she leave…?

"My name is Saito, Hikari Saito. Won't you help me, Sim-chan?"

Rockman shuddered. _No, no! She wouldn't, she couldn't!_

But _he_ wouldn't, he couldn't deny it. Her home in the marble pedestal was empty, desolate, as were the other computers on Enzan's network. There was no trace of her.

_There's no sign that she was ever here at all…_

Indeed, how did he know she wasn't a fantasy, a figment he conjured to satisfy his needs? He channeled his rage onto her; he hacked off her limbs and cleaved her in two, and as often as not she had done the same, yet when the battle was over, he took her arm in arm, brushed her golden hair aside, and stroked her cheek.

Then she was gone, like a dream, a ghost. She left nothing behind to remember her by. There was nothing here that was hers.

_I never let her have anything, did I? Almost all her time she spent with me; there was no room for a life of her own. We created her, but what life did we give her? What life did _I_ give her?_

Creaky hinges stirred him from this thought. Enzan poked his head into the training room. "You're here alone?" he asked Rockman. "Where's Netto?"

"Still asleep," said the elder Hikari. "It's five in the morning, Enzan. What are you doing up?"

"We got word Echo invaded the Ministry of Transport's server," Blues said. "We're going to check it out."

Enzan eyed the central pedestal. "Where's Sim?"

"She's gone," said Rockman.

"Gone? Gone where?"

"I don't know."

Enzan looked hard and intense, but all he said was, "I see."

"Rockman, perhaps you would join us," said Blues, "to fight Echo."

It was bold of Blues to say such a thing. Enzan hadn't bothered to ask Rockman or Netto to join them for weeks now. It was strange. More than that, it was strange that it was strange, but why?

The reason escaped him. "Netto-kun is still very tired from last night," Rockman said.

"Netto can sleep," said Enzan. "Blues, let's go."

"_Hai."_

The training room door closed, but Rockman lingered in the computer.

_What's going on here? What happened to Sim-chan? To Enzan and Blues?_

_What happened to me?_

—

"What do you see, Thunderman?"

A white spike on a helmet inched over the ledge. Thunderman hiked the labyrinth of platforms and staircases that overhung the Ministry network, and from this high perch, he spied upon Imi and her companion and reported the results to Raoul. "It sounds like they're looking for someone…"

"For Nakamura?" said the operator.

"I'm not sure." Thunderman turned his ear downward and listened.

"That's it, Codey-kun," said Imi. "Just keep a close eye on her. Follow her all the way back to where she came from."

Raoul frowned. "Very strange. Who could she be looking for beside her father?"

Still frames flashed before the two navis below. They flickered and fizzled as the boy shifted from one to the next.

"He's fast," said Thunderman. "He moves through data like it's air. It hardly slows him down."

"The last thing Echo needs is an ally," said Raoul, "or a hostage. Do you think she's keeping him under duress?"

Thunderman gazed intently at the pair. Sure enough, the boy halted his scan and pleaded with Imi. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this, onee-san. Papa told me—"

"I know what Papa told you," said Imi. "I just need your help a little while longer, that's all. It won't be long, I promise you."

"He calls her his sister?" Raoul put down his PET, and his brow furrowed in thought. "That would mean Nakamura made him, too."

"With his talent for breaking security, it _would_ explain how Nakamura's eluded us this long," Thunderman pointed out.

That it would, but Raoul found the whole idea troubling. No one even suspected Nakamura used a navi to help stay off the radar, not until an officer from the day before told how Nakamura jerry-rigged a PET to shock him, anyway. Did he make mention of a navi? Raoul couldn't recall, but a PET did suggest Nakamura would have a navi of some kind. It just seemed peculiar. Perhaps this is what he was doing for the first few weeks—stealing enough power to write and test Codey. A programmer of his skill and experience would easily have several navis in progress, some further along than others.

But the greater point was that it highlighted just how little Raoul and Enzan knew about Nakamura and Echo. That she could have a brother, for instance. What other secrets lay in wait for them to find?

_What other secrets…or people?_

Not just any person, but a boy. A colleague of Raoul's. He had been runner-up in a Japanese net battling tournament, and as a reward for his achievement, the organizers gifted him with a trip around the world, to the distant reaches of Ameroupe, Raoul's home. There, a corrupt mayor tried to oust good, hard-working citizens from their homes, all to make way for twenty-first century progress: strip malls and parking decks. Nothing short of total eradication would do—the "filth" of downtown had to be purged.

But this boy put a stop to it, and thanks to the oddest of circumstances. From the streets, Raoul carved out a gang of followers: like-minded folk who opposed the mayor's intrusions and biased, self-serving agenda. A boy from this gang, fearing that Netto might align with the mayor, stole his PET (and Rockman along with it), but Raoul wisely corrected this injustice, and together, the pair exposed the mayor for the low-life he was, and the hard-working citizens of Ameroupe, the beating heart of the city, could at last live in peace.

Until Echo arrived. But along with Echo came Netto; he came to combat her, and he fought her. Raoul witnessed their epic clash, and after Enzan drove the boy to the hospital, Raoul walked the barren, withered landscape that remained—the only remnants of a vast rail station, a casualty of the battle. That was fifty-some-odd days ago, too long ago for Raoul to remember, but one thing was certain: Netto must be somewhere.

Yet over the past two months, the clues were slim, and Enzan's desire to find his friend and rival even slimmer. His behavior baffled Raoul; his aversion to finding Netto made no sense. Netto had the experience against Echo, and he was a friend, a dear friend—not just to Enzan but to Raoul as well. Since that one battle at the rail station, however…Netto had literally vanished. Every other day, a photo of Netto would show up on the net. Raoul long learned to ignore these hoaxes; he would trust only his own two eyes from now on. He would trust only his eyes…

"Raoul."

And his eyes told him Enzan was a weary fellow indeed. The stony look on his face was the look of a competitor, someone with an enemy to defeat, but was it meant for Echo or something more…personal?

Enzan plugged Blues in and scrutinized the screen. "What is she doing? And who is that—"

"Her brother," Raoul said. "Echo has a brother."

"A brother?" Enzan said. "One of them was bad enough, but two navis of Nakamura's…"

"They're looking for someone," said Blues, peering over the ledge with Thunderman. "Her father?"

"Why wouldn't this Codey tell her where he is?" said Thunderman. "Unless he doesn't know, either, of course."

Enzan studied the situation carefully. Imi and her "brother," this Codey, pored over traffic footage while dozens of security navis sat dull and dazed around them. "Why are they just standing there?" he said.

"None of the guards have moved since we arrived," said Raoul. "They're mesmerized."

"That's Echo's doing," said Enzan, "but…" He smirked. "…she's made a mistake."

"A mistake?" Raoul frowned. Sure, she was there, and they watched her from afar. It was a mistake to let them surveil her, even if it revealed little or no useful information. That Imi had a brother might prove useful, especially if they were to capture him, but that would hinge on whether he were any more amenable than his older sister, something that—

"She's trapped herself," Enzan said. "Cut the server from the net, and we'll have her."

Raoul nodded. "A good plan, Enzan. Thunderman, plug out. Let's get ready to bring down the network. Start with—"

"Let me know when you're finished," Enzan said. "Blues and I still have some matters to discuss."

"But Enzan—"

"I'll just be outside." He ducked into the hallway, out of sight.

That was what'd changed about Enzan over the course of these last 55 days. These private conferences with his navi grew ever more frequent and closed, and Enzan never discussed what they spoke of. Indeed, just the day before, Enzan and Raoul investigated the limousine Echo attacked. Raoul checked the damage to the engine block searched the scene for Nakamura (wherever he'd gone to) while Enzan interviewed the occupant…

_Who was inside? Could it have been…?_

"The preparations are ready," Thunderman said. "Once all the security navis are logged out, we can cut off the server from the net and trap Echo."

"Thunderman, did Blues tell you who was inside that limousine?" asked Raoul.

"No."

Could it be? Could it be that Netto was in that limo, that Echo was after him? But why would Enzan hide that?

"Log out the security navis," said Raoul. "I'm going to talk to Enzan."

—

In the absence of dawn, Enzan crossed his arms behind his back and stared. He stared east, through the glass doors of the Ministry of Transport's lobby, and waited for the first hint of sun to creep over the horizon.

"Sim is gone."

It took some effort for him to form his mouth around the words. He spoke them, but they pushed back on his lips.

"I can't say this is entirely unexpected, Enzan-sama."

Unexpected? Hardly. Sim still reported to Enzan every night about Netto and Rockman's activities and frames of mind. True, her reports had thinned of late. Enzan interpreted this as meaning she too felt the weight of harboring Netto in secret. He didn't question why this would affect her as it did him, but on closer inspection, it was curious. She didn't go out at all. She didn't have to work with dozens of other agents and officers who, when not hunting Echo with him, kept their eyes peeled for the boy with the blue bandana—the living, breathing half of one of the best battling pairs on the planet.

Sim faced no such hardship. He did: he, Ijuuin Enzan, son of Shuuseki. Mistake not his trials for self-pity; Enzan understood well that this was a dilemma of his own choosing. _I welcomed Netto into my home, and in doing so, I obligated myself to concealing his whereabouts. That was the deal, I knew it going in, and I don't regret it._

For now, at least, he didn't regret it, but the doubts mounted with each day passed. The hours Netto and Rockman wasted in their training heightened the risk that someone would discover Netto, and without Echo in custody, what would his dilemma be worth then?

_What then?_

"I notice she made a call to Hikari-hakase last night," Blues said. "Do you think she told him?"

"That would be likely," said Enzan. Indeed, it was all too likely. No doubt Yuuichirou was on his way to Ameruope that minute, and he would knock on Enzan's door and say, "What have you been doing with my son? Why did you hide him? Tell me!"

But then, if that were the case, nothing could be done. That was the troublesome thing about knowledge: once disseminated, it could not be contained again.

"It would be good to know," Blues said, "if she told someone or not."

That would be good. That would be very, very good.

"Enzan."

The boy swiveled. Raoul joined Enzan at the doorway. There was a green flash in the distance, and yellow rays cast long shadows—their shadows—onto the lobby walls.

"Is something the matter?" asked Raoul.

"No, nothing," said Enzan.

"You've been distant lately. Distracted, even."

"We can both agree that these past two months have not been easy."

"True, very true. It's been quite a challenge, hasn't it."

Enzan made no move to meet his gaze. "It has."

"Lesser men might find it demoralizing—that we haven't stopped Echo by now."

"They might."

"It could cause a person to turn inward, to doubt themselves."

"It could."

"And to think that Netto is still missing, too…"

So that's what Raoul was driving at. Enzan acted quickly to put the matter to bed. "I'm sure Netto is fine," he said.

"Do you know for certain?" asked Raoul.

"Excuse me?"

"Yesterday, Echo broke off her pursuit of her father to attack a car, remember? Who was inside? Who was she after?"

Enzan winced. _It's almost worse that Netto _wasn't_ in that car but Sakurai was. She's just as missing as he is, and I let her go, too._ But still, he needed something to say, something to tell Raoul that would end this line of questioning.

"Well?"

"No one was inside," Enzan said. "It was empty."

"Impossible. She must have been after someone; she must—" Raoul's PET rang, and the beeping was insistent. "What is it, Thunderman?"

"I've cut off the traffic network," said the navi. "The security navis are safe, and the boy, Echo's brother, is trapped inside."

Enzan's eyes flashed. "That was a mistake. Logging out the security navis could've tipped her off."

"What else could we do?" said Raoul. "Leave those navis in there to face her wrath?"

"I'm just saying it was a risk," Enzan said, "that we should've found a better way, one that didn't give her a chance to escape."

Raoul crossed his arms, and his eyes narrowed, shooting laser beams into Enzan. "This is why you shouldn't leave to talk with Blues when Echo is about."

The remark slapped him across the face. Raoul was dead on: had Enzan not ducked outside to conference with Blues and discuss Sim, he would've been there and caught the oversight. Where was his precision, his battler's eye that missed nothing and caught everything? That was the one thing he disliked about Netto's fighting style; at times, he could be sloppy, and that was what separated Enzan from Netto: attention to detail. Enzan kept his head where it was meant to be—focused on the situation—but now this business with Sim and with Netto distracted him, and that could've been a costly mistake.

And let not Ijuuin Enzan try to cover up a mistake. "You're right, Raoul. I apologize. It won't happen again."

Raoul's expression softened. "Well, no harm done today, right, Thunderman?"

"No, Raoul-san."

Enzan's heart quivered. _She's here._

"Enzan-san was right." Imi stepped from the shadows, but her gaze was neither patient nor kind. She glared at the two Net Saviors. "You shouldn't have given me a hint that something was wrong." She held her arm outward, and it sharpened to a light blue blade, whose edges crackled with energy. "Now give me back my brother," she said. "Give me back my Codey-kun."

**2**

Daylight. Daylight revealed all. It revealed the carnage of battle. The splintered shards of a great skyscraper bridged three city blocks and crushed an eighteen-wheel truck. Liquid asphalt ran down the street in a stream, and it cooled and solidified like a lava flow.

And the carnage was ongoing. Under a rainbow sky, the combatants dueled ferociously. They traded blows; they clawed and stabbed one another. A boy in red, white, and purple thrust and parried with his crimson sword, and a man lifted his hand to the sky and called forth sparks and thunderbolts, but they were no match for her. They never were.

Even still they had a fan, a friend. She waited at the edge of the dimensional area with a prim, polished PET in her hand, and as her comrades battled, she slotted in what chips she could: Area Steals, Stone Cubes, Cannons. Anything to distract the enemy, anything to stop Imi…

_I'm no good to them like this. If only Roll were here!_

But Roll wasn't there, and for that, Meiru watched from the outside as Imi pummeled and trounced Enzan and Raoul. She hurled them into the wall of the dome and buried them under concrete blocks.

And they didn't move.

"It can't be," Meiru said. "Enzan! Raoul-san! Are you all right?"

But from the clouds of fine gray dust, two red eyes snapped to attention and locked on to her.

_No! She's coming; she's coming again!_

Imi curled her fingers; space and time bent to her will and wound for a climactic blast…

PEW! A pink bolt ripped through her gut.

PEW PEW! She staggered, and blue bits showered from her wounds. "Who are you?" cried Imi. "What are you? Where—"

PEW! The blast scattered her data, and it spun in the wind.

_It's Netto; it has to be!_ "Netto!" Meiru said. "Netto, are you here?"

From smoke and soot, a blue figure approached her. He halted at the edge, and Meiru pressed her hand to the barrier.

"I've been looking for you," Meiru said, and while she wanted to berate him for that, for making her search, she could hardly contain her glee. There he was, stern and resolute like always. Stern, resolute…

…and silent.

"Won't you say something, Netto?" she asked. "Anything?"

But his eyes were stony and cold, and not a drop of joy or warmth lay within: only blackness, the dark voids of his pupils. And in Rockman's armor, with the facemask over his mouth and nose, they were all she could see, all that would talk to her, speak to her.

And when he turned away, they went quiet.

"Wait! Netto, wait!"

He marched back into the debris, and the dust clouds enveloped him.

"Netto!" Meiru banged on the barrier, but it repulsed her fist. _No, please no. He can't leave me. He can't leave me again! _"Netto, stop! Netto! NETTO!"

—

"Meiru-chan!"

Daylight.

"Meiru-chan, wake up!"

Weak daylight peeked through the red velvet curtains, and Sakurai Meiru sat up in bed and rubbed her head.

"Roll?"

"Not quite."

Meiru snatched her PET from the end table. Yaito's gleaming forehead shone brightly today, no doubt fueled by an added dose of consternation.

"It was…a dream?"

"Do you know how long I've been trying to wake you?"

"What's happened?" asked Meiru. Groggy and weary, she wiped her eyes. "Did something happen?"

"I thought you'd want to know," Yaito said. "Echo's been spotted."

"So early?" She fell back and let her head bounce on the pillow. "Honestly, she must choose to attack at this hour just to be annoying!"

"Did you have the dream again?"

"Yeah, I did, and nothing changed this time, either."

"Maybe the next time will be different."

"Maybe." She rolled out of bed and stumbled to the window. She peeled the curtains back, and the multicolored hues of the dimensional area greeted her—a tiny dome shimmered on the far side of the city. "What's happening this time?" she asked.

"It's at the Ministry of Transport," Yaito said. "That's all I know."

"Is the car ready?"

"Waiting outside for you."

Meiru nodded, and for the first time that morning, she looked at the screen, at the friend of hers who, though thousands of miles away, kept her on track.

"What is it?" said Yaito. "What are you looking at?"

"Thank you, Yaito-chan."

Her friend bowed. "You're welcome."

The screen flickered off. Meiru closed the curtains, but the rainbow glow of the dimensional area crept under the edges and colored the carpet. It was beautiful—a dance of red and violet and everything in between—but it was also a reminder: Echo was out there…

…_and so is Netto._

—

"Onee-san?"

Ceiling panels shuddered and flopped to the floor. Trapped within the Ministry's network, Codey peered into the outside world and called to his sister. "Onee-san, where did you go?"

Clanking swords rang out from the hall. "Just a minute, Codey-kun!"

"But onee-san—"

"Onee-san's a little busy," Imi said. She backpedaled outside the control room, outside of Codey's cage, and parried Enzan's thrusts. "Just be patient, and I'll get you out of there, all right?"

Enzan swiped at her, and she jumped away, but he relinquished his sword. "Bubble Side!"

"Elec Beam!"

The charge rode the globe of water and zapped Imi, and she fell back, out of sight.

"Onee-san!" Codey cried. "Onee-san!"

Raoul charged into the room, and Thunderman's armor disintegrated. He caught his PET and shined the laser into a plug-in port. Thunderman materialized next to Codey and lugged him into his arms. "You're coming with us."

"No!" Codey kicked and wiggled, but Thunderman's grasp held, and they reappeared in Raoul's PET.

"Enzan!" said Raoul. "I have the boy!"

A Mach Burst propelled Enzan into the room and off the doorframe. "Give him back," said Imi. "Give him back!"

"Not on your life, Echo," said Raoul. "Synchro Chip, slot—"

A vine jabbed at his wrist and knocked the chip away, burying it in the cables and crevices of the control room.

"Flame Tower."

Raoul dove for a corner, and Imi set the room ablaze. The column of fire blistered the paint off the walls and melted steel. Wires shriveled and frayed, and the monitors cracked and shattered. Trying to escape, Raoul made for the doorway, but Imi stood him down.

"I want my brother back," she said. "Give me the PET, and I'll let you go. I don't care what happens to you. It'd be a shame to have to kill you, Raoul-san."

"Trap us here, and you kill your brother, too!" he said. "Is that what you want?"

Her hand morphed and rearranged its parts, yielding a simple blue cannon. "Are you sure about that?"

"Kanketsusen!"

A deluge flooded the room and doused the flames. The sudden influx of water swept Imi off her feet. Enzan rushed to Raoul's side and shouldered him to the safety of the hall.

"Are you all right?" he said.

"Yes," said Raoul, "but my Synchro Chip—"

PEW! Pink streamers vaporized the interior wall, and Imi fumed in the debris. "This is your last warning, Raoul-san!"

"Run!" Enzan said. "Hurry!"

Raoul scampered down the hall.

"Fumikomi Cross!"

But in the moment it took for Enzan to flash out of existence, swords in hand, Imi raised a maze to defend her, and he slammed into the earthen barrier. Enzan plucked the greenery and dirt from the cracks in his visor until…

"Hyper Burst."

—

The beam shot through the tower's side and struck the edge of the barrier. Rebar splayed from the hole like sinews from a wound.

Raoul hopped down the Ministry's front steps and surveyed the damage. "Enzan? All you all right, Enzan?"

But if Enzan survived the blast, he made no sign of it. Only one figure emerged from the debris, and her skirt flapped in the sudden breeze.

"I warned you," Imi said.

Raoul fled, but thorns and vines popped through the sidewalk and tethered him to the ground. He pulled on his bindings, but the tangled mass of thorns pricked his skin and spilled his blood.

"You can fight me all you like," said Imi, hovering over him. "I don't mind fighting, but when you keep me from my family—from my papa, from my brother—I won't forgive you for that. I won't!"

"After everything you've done," Raoul said, "do you think you deserve a family? The people you've slaughtered? The navis you've destroyed?"

The vines squeezed and tightened. They slashed at his hands, but he protected the slim yellow case between his knuckles and palms, and they could not pry his fingers away.

"It must hurt, Raoul-san," Imi said. "Doesn't it hurt?"

"It would hurt me more to give in to you," Raoul said.

"So be it." She cast her arm to the side, and the Paladin Sword grew from her outstretched hand. She raised it over her head and let the head of the blade fall in an overhead chop—an attack meant to slice him in two.

CLINK!

But the sword ground against another; a red edge defied her. Blues's sword persevered under the weight of her blow…

…but Blues was not the one to wield it.

"Who are you?" Imi cried. "Where did you get that? Where did you come from?"

The interloper pulled upward, and the two locked swords no more, but she stood poised and strong, and her violet armor gleamed in the morning sun.

"My name is Sim," she said. "And I'm here to stop you."

—

_From far away, it almost looks beautiful._

Meiru peered out her limo's tinted windows. Overhead, stray energy blasts struck the top of the dimensional area, and the force of impacts rippled across the dome as a watery rainbow, and like moths to flame, a swarm of helicopters circled the area, shining their searchlights to illuminate the battle below.

That was all well and good, but Meiru and her driver found themselves stuck behind a parade of rubberneckers.

"We can't wait here," she told the chauffeur. "I'm getting out."

"But miss—"

She shut the door and weaved between bumpers and side-view mirrors. There wasn't much traffic—just a minor blockage, really, as the police locked down the road to keep anyone from getting closer—but the pedestrians, residents, and Sunday morning commuters filed into the street and bore witness to the spectacle. They shuddered from the thundering booms as Vulcan fire shredded the Ministry tower and steel I-beams tumbled to the ground, but what caught Meiru's eye was not the carnage Imi wrought.

It was the purple navi who defied her. She hurled six-sided dice into the fray, and they detonated at Imi's feet. She raised spires of hardened wood just like Imi did. She slammed her fist into the asphalt, and chunks of tar and cement splattered from the center.

_I don't understand. The Net Saviors don't substantiate navis in dimensional areas. That's why Enzan uses a Synchro Chip to fight._

But Enzan didn't seem to mind this help, whoever she was, wherever she came from. They fought in tandem: together, they harassed Imi with Sonic Booms from multiple directions. They kept her off balance and on her heels. The great and powerful Echo, master of anticipation, suddenly found herself against an enemy she knew nothing about.

_Where did she get Blues's attacks?_

Meiru ran between buildings and pushed against the police barricade. Though the officers held her back, she was closer than ever before. She spotted Raoul at the barrier's edge. He tore strips from his shirt and wrapped them around gashes in his arms, all the while clutching his PET with Thunderman inside. In the field of play, however, Enzan and his new partner continued to assault Imi: the former with his trusty sword, the latter with her wide array of attacks—whirling helicopter rotors slashed at Imi, and rocket-propelled fists zoomed past her.

_I know those moves. They don't belong to her; they belong to Rockman!_

She jumped the barrier. "Netto! Are you here?"

"Hey, kid, come back!" said an officer. "You're not supposed to—"

She ran. _If I can make it to the barrier, I'll get an answer. Enzan, Raoul, or this new navi—someone has to tell me. Someone has to know! _"Netto!"

"Take her!"

The constables jumped her and wrestled her to the ground. "Let me go!" she cried. "I need to talk to Enzan! I need to see if Netto's here!"

Despite her protests, the officers showed her no quarter. They cuffed her and shoved her into the back of their patrol car, but still she watched the battle from afar, as the violet navi wielded the gamut of Rockman's souls.

_Netto is here. Netto must be somewhere._

—

This conclusion didn't escape Imi, either. "You know Rockman-san, don't you?" she called to Sim. "Those moves aren't yours; they're his!"

Sim ducked a backhanded swipe. "Who is Rockman?"

"Don't talk to her!" Enzan pounded his Z-Saber into the ground, and the wave split the combatants. "Sim, don't talk to her. Understand?"

But this only aroused Imi's curiosity. "You know, too, don't you? You always did. He's been hiding, hasn't he?"

Enzan glared. "Enough! Area Steal!"

Imi rolled her eyes. "Please." Her clothes and body turned to iron, and Enzan's sword shattered upon the metal. She raised a maze wall, and a point-blank Mach Burst propelled him through four separate sections of labyrinth.

But Sim bathed her enemy in fire. "In my first battle with him, Rockman taught me this trick," she said, "and I've never forgotten it. It showed me how cunning he could be."

Imi raised her arm to deflect the flames. "I don't see what trick there is to it," she muttered.

"This." The flames abated, and Sim drenched Imi in frigid water. Just as for her, Imi's joints and limbs stiffened and cracked under the strain of thermal shock.

"Rockman-san is very smart," Imi said, shedding fragments as she moved, "but if he sent you, he's not smart enough."

"He didn't send me," Sim said. "I came for myself. I came for him."

Imi smirked. "And now your mind will tell me why." Her glove and fingers flexed and wiggled, and from tip to wrist, her hand regained its pure white hue. She lunged at Sim, intent to grab her, but…

"Sonic Boom!"

The wavefront toppled not Imi but Sim; it knocked her out of Imi's reach. Rejuvenated, Imi faced Enzan. "I see you'll go to great lengths to protect this secret," she said. "Interesting."

"Why do you want to know about Netto and Rockman?" Enzan said. "Is that what you were after?"

She shook her head. "It wasn't, but…she wanted to know. She _wants_ to know, even now."

"Who?"

Imi opened her mouth, but a whizzing sound interrupted her. She swiveled around and stared down the barrel of a pink bow, mounted on the end of Sim's arm. Sim yanked the string back, and a hot bolt of magenta seethed within the weapon's center.

"Roll-san."

TEEEW BOOM!

The blast stripped the pavement bare. Enzan waved his hands through the smoke—a debris cloud of both real and virtual particles, a fusion of the substantial and the digital. But he found not the remnants of Echo at ground zero. Nay, Imi stood as she did when the Roll Arrow struck her. She absorbed what she could to repair herself, and the rest dug the crater she waited in.

After a moment, she wandered out of the crater and over the lip. She approached Raoul, who'd sidelined himself to nurse his wounds, and though Enzan and Sim sniped at her, she bore their attacks without retaliation or pause.

"Codey-kun."

The navi struggled, but Thunderman held him firm. "Help me, onee-san! Please!"

"I'm sorry, Codey-kun," Imi said. "Onee-san has to go now. I need to do what I came here to do first."

"But you can't leave me!" said the boy. "What about Papa?"

"I'll be back for you as soon as I can be," Imi said. "I promise."

"But onee-san—"

A hole to the cyberworld appeared at her feet, and she sidestepped into the void.

"Onee-san!"

Enzan dove to stop her. "Echo!"

But she was gone, and Enzan lunged at air.

**3**

As city workers rounded up the debris, Rockman image peered around Enzan's body, checking the scene.

"We're not sure what she was after," Enzan said, "or _who_ she was after, but with this brother of hers helping her, I don't think she was looking for her father."

Rockman's eyes scanned left to right.

"Is something wrong?" said Enzan, tilting the PET.

"No, no," said Rockman, "it's just…I heard Sim-chan was there."

"Y-you did?"

"Was she?"

Enzan hesitated, but then he nodded.

"What was she doing?" asked Rockman. "How did she get there?"

"I'm told there was a security breach at headquarters," Enzan said. "A purple navi broke into the dimensional area generator and funneled her program into it, allowing herself to be substantiated in the area."

"I knew Sim-chan could be resourceful," Rockman said, "but why would she fight Imi-chan?"

"She said she was doing it for you," Blues said, "but she didn't elaborate."

"Is she still there?"

Enzan shook his head.

"I see. Well, if you happen to see her again—"

"We'll let you know," said Blues.

Rockman nodded. "Thank you, Blues. Thank you, Enzan."

"We'll be in touch," said the operator, and the window closed.

But Rockman was hardly satisfied with this information. _She fought Imi-chan…for me?_

He paced about the penthouse, pondering the possible meanings of such a thing. It did little to calm him, though. For one, it could hardly be called pacing, as often enough he would grow weary of the cramped spaces in the more functional gateways (why should they give a navi more room than needed to see them on screen?), and the more expansive ones…well, they were the same everywhere. Homogenous. Few, if any, details to distract one from a pressing matter—just wide, open space. Empty space. A space that fills up with whatever troubles you or ails you. A space that can only be populated by one's own demons.

And Rockman's demon was the most terrifying at all. She was deceitful, insidious. She managed to lie to him every time they saw one another not by what she said but by what she didn't say.

"I love you."

_Is that what scared Sim-chan away? Is it because of Roll-chan?_

Netto, certainly, had made his disapproval of the relationship well known. It didn't help that he couldn't hide his repulsion, but Rockman knew he wouldn't even if he could. "I see what you see, nii-san," Netto would say, "and I know when you look at her, you see Roll. That's what makes it wrong."

But the comparison couldn't be helped. Like Roll, Sim was awkward on the battlefield. She was capable, yes, and after their many days of training, it was most of what she understood, but her wide set of powers could intimidate her at times. Her own strength surprised her. So many things did. Truth be told, Roll was much the same that way. When compelled to fight, she could be a deadly force, one that belied her sweet and bubbly nature.

Beyond the comparisons, however, Rockman was curious. He planned and fashioned his dates with Sim to match exactly what Roll would want, so that with Sim, he could live those dreams, feel what Roll must've wanted him to feel. That was what eluded him most: Roll must've hoped he'd act romantic, and he knew what it meant to _be_ romantic, but how did it feel to _do_ it?

Sim's delight and awe at the majesty of the world told him part of the answer. Her wonder and joy was his doing; he was the cause, and that made him important. That made him special, yet without her, there would be no effect. That made her special, too.

_But not as special as Roll-chan._

Nor could she ever be. Sim didn't reach for his elbow when times got rough. She didn't fume when Rockman turned his attentions to Medi or another female navi in their presence. She didn't take care of Trill while he was away fighting Zoanoroids. She didn't cry at his feet and confess her love to him, just as he told her he'd leave her forever.

She didn't try to convince Imi to give up on her father the way she gave up on him. Nor did she die at Imi's hands for such blasphemy.

_But she was gone when I ran away from her. She wasn't the same the next day. She was broken, and I'm the one who broke her, not Imi-chan._

That was the supreme crime, the crime that could not be forgiven. He broke her heart, and worse than that, Imi deprived him of any chance to mend it.

_That's what Imi-chan does. She takes away everything. That's why she needs to be stopped. That's why she needs to die—because as long as she's alive, she can touch someone. She can steal them from life and trap them in her mind, and she can torture them like she did Roll-chan. Imi-chan must die, so no one has to endure that fate, so no one becomes like Roll-chan._

And yet, that was the paradox. While Rockman trained with Netto, Imi roamed free. She destroyed. She killed. What was the excuse? What was the justification?

_We're not ready. Netto-kun can't handle that kind of pain again, the pain of our link. The only way we can defeat her is if he lends his power to me, if he lets me become Saito._

But thus far it had been a long wait, and at what cost? Sim fled, for reasons still unknown to him, but he could guess them, all the same.

_Did all the training wear her out? If so, she should've said something. I would've listened._

Like when she told Enzan that Rockman was using the beast chips in battle.

_That's different! If we can't use chips of that caliber, then we had to make up for it with more time, more stress, more—_

Yes, that's it. More more more. Work her dry, work her to the bone. She won't mind. The one good thing about Sim: she never complains. Not when you hack her legs off, not when you sneak a smooch in when she's not expecting it…

_What have I done?_

Enzan doesn't complain, either. He wakes up, finds Netto in the simulator, and doesn't bother him. He comes home, finds Netto in the simulator, and doesn't bother him. He doesn't complain about fighting Imi all by himself (or, in recent times, with Raoul's backup). No, those days were long over. Enzan doesn't complain. And Blues? It's hard enough to get two words out of him at a time, let alone a rigorous conversation about what he _thought_ or how he _felt_ about the situation. And knowing Blues, that meant he wasn't happy, but far be it for him to speak his mind. No, Blues doesn't complain. Nobody complains. They're all accommodating, blissfully accommodating. They all catered to his needs, humored his insanities. They let him get this way: they let him see the ghost of Roll in Sim's flesh and count the ways he could main and decapitate Imi, for that's what Sim was: his surrogate Roll, his surrogate Imi. He stroked her hair and mutilated her in the same breath, the same moment.

_And they said nothing. Sim-chan said nothing. Enzan and Blues—they all said nothing. Nobody said anything; none of them tried to stop me. They all just let me be, all of them except—_

"_Ohayou_, nii-san," said the younger Hikari.

"_Ohayou_," said Rockman. "Good morning, Netto-kun."

—

"We'll be in touch," said Enzan, and Rockman's image flickered out. Blues materialized over one shoulder…

…and Sim above the other. Enzan took a long, hard look at her.

_First I had to keep Netto's secrets; now I have to conceal _hers_ too._

"That was reckless," said Blues. "You could've revealed everything to Echo. If she touched you—"

"But she didn't," said Sim. "She didn't touch me, thanks to you and Enzan."

"We may not be there to protect you again," said Enzan.

"I understand."

Enzan sighed. "Why did you come here, Sim?"

"You can't let Rockman kill Imi," she said. "Above all else, if he kills her—"

"What makes you think Netto and Rockman will come out to fight her now?" said Enzan.

"You didn't see what I saw last night," said Sim. "You didn't see Netto in a state of panic; you didn't see—"

"I _did_ see that. Netto ran out onto the street looking for Sakurai."

"She represents everything Rockman lost," said Sim. "Her being here changed the situation. I don't think Netto will be able to stand by any longer while Rockman broods for revenge."

"Don't forget; I know Rockman," said Blues. "He's not the kind of navi to seek vengeance, not unjustly."

"For that matter, Netto may be irresponsible at times, but he's usually in control," said Enzan. "Why would he let Rockman start making the decisions?"

"I don't think he has much choice," said Sim. "I think Rockman's feelings of guilt and grief have overwhelmed him."

"That doesn't make sense," said Enzan. "What do Rockman's feelings have to do with Netto?"

Sim stared at him, aghast. "They never told you?"

"Told me what?"

"They never told you? After two months, they _never even told you_?"

The boy glared. "Told me _what_?"

"Enzan!"

At that, Sim vanished from his shoulder. Raoul carried his arm in a sling, wrapped in bandages. "I've been looking for you, Enzan," he said. "I have questions."

More questions. There were always more questions—about Netto, about Sim—but fortunately for Enzan, questions deflected other questions, and Enzan had a question of his own. "Where's the boy?" he asked. "Where's Codey?"

Raoul frowned. He fished his pockets and produced the PET, from which Codey stared out at the world.

"I won't tell you anything," he said. "I promised onee-san, I promised Papa, and I won't break those promises. Promises are made for keeping."

Enzan sighed. "Take him to headquarters, then," he said. "If he won't tell us what Echo was after, then Nakamura-hakase may still." He tucked his own PET in its holder and made for the police line.

"Enzan, that navi," Raoul said, "who was she? Where did she come from?"

Enzan halted at the barricade. "She is a weapon," he said. "A weapon meant for Echo."

Raoul seemed entirely satisfied with this explanation, but the media, with their obnoxious microphones and shoulder-mounted cameras, was not. "Mr. Ijuuin, what do you mean she's a weapon?" "Mr. Ijuuin, did the Net Saviors develop this navi as a countermeasure against Echo?" "Mr. Ijuuin—"

"Go away," Enzan said, wading through the masses, the parade of reporters, the precession of cameramen. "None of you should be here," he said. "Don't think that just because you were outside the dimensional area that you were safe from her. You weren't."

"The people of this city deserve to know what she's doing to their town, what she's doing to find her father! How are we supposed to report on the Echo menace when we can't show people what she's destroyed?"

Enzan straightened his vest and barged onward. These people, these newsmen, had no understanding of what Imi had done. All they saw were shots for the six-o'clock news, but what Imi destroyed were not skyscrapers and bridges, streets and casinos.

_Echo destroys people._

"Mr. Ijuuin, sir." A uniformed officer in neon yellow and silver stripes caught hold of Enzan's arm and squeezed in beside him. Together, they cleared a path through the crowd, and the constable led Enzan to a patrol car.

_She destroys people. Like Egami Aya and the dozens of others she'd murdered on her way to her father._

But there was more than that. How many others had been irrevocably affected by Imi's quest? Like Netto, who still holed himself up in Enzan's penthouse even now?

"She was trying to rush the police line," said the officer. "We had no choice but to restrain her and take her in."

_There are others, too. There are people who lost their navis: Yukawa, Ikeda. It's not true for everyone, but for some people, to lose your navi is to lose everything._

Flashes of Blues as a corrupted Darkloid came to mind.

_It makes you hollow. It makes you a shell of yourself. It makes you empty and yet driven by emptiness…_

The officer opened rear door. Between errant strands of red hair, a pair of brown eyes blinked bleakly at her captor.

…_like Sakurai._

—

The patrol car drove away, and the reporters and spectators scattered, but Rockman watched coverage of the disaster with wide eyes.

_What was Imi-chan after, if not her father?_

"You're still watching?" asked Netto.

"_Un,"_ said the navi.

"Enzan said she was looking for someone else, huh?"

"_Un," _he said again. And that was strange. _Imi-chan is single-minded. If she's not looking for her father, maybe someone touched her again, and she didn't have the chance to kill them. Now she's after them; now she's going to kill again._

"She's _been_ killing, nii-san," said Netto.

"I know."

Netto sipped a cup of green tea and set the cup on the coffee table. He leaned forward, into the screen, and hunched over the PET as he scrolled through a website.

"I'm just saying this is different," Rockman explained. "It's one thing when she touches someone to take information from their mind. When someone touches her accidentally, without knowing who she is—"

"She hunts them down," said Netto, "and murders them."

"And she doesn't stop trying until they no longer speak to her," said Rockman.

Netto tapped a button on the PET, and the screen scrolled further. Red and brown pixels peeked in from below, and Netto's finger seized on the control pad.

"It's Meiru-chan, isn't it," said Rockman.

He held the button down, and sure enough, there he was, and there _she_ was. " 'It has been 55 days since Netto and Meiru disappeared,' " the boy read. "55 days…"

"She's been looking for you."

Netto shook his head and pushed the PET away. "She shouldn't be here."

"We couldn't have told her where we were," said Rockman. "If this is any indication, she would've come."

"But we didn't tell her," said Netto, "and she _did_ come. She put herself in danger because we've waited so long."

"Do you think we're ready, Netto-kun?" asked Rockman. "To face Imi-chan? To withstand the pain from our link? To kill her rather than let someone else die at her hands?"

"I'm willing to try. We have to try for Meiru."

"Are you willing to let me do it?"

They both knew what that meant: for Netto to relinquish his own will, to give up all his strength to Rockman and face Imi with the Saito power. That was the ultimate purpose of their training—not just to steel Netto against the shared pain that resonated through their link, but to condition them, to unify them, to make their minds as one. Day in and day out, Netto obeyed his brother's will; his faith in their mission to achieve that power started strong, but as the weeks wore on—weeks cut off from the outside world, save for reports from Enzan and the media of Imi's exploits—his resolve waned, and the debacle with Sim hadn't helped matters. The problem was not technique. It was not something to be solved through training and analysis and skill.

The problem was Rockman. As the brothers shared each other's thoughts, Netto expressed his growing misgivings each day, only to have Rockman justify the training, explain away his relationship with Sim, and assure his brother that staying off the radar was the right thing to do. Soon those misgivings turned into outright arguments, and those clashes climaxed in their feud in front of Sim the night before. Rockman silenced him the only way he could: by taking control of his mind and body, and forcing his thoughts through Netto's lips. And Netto was too shocked to stop it, too aghast to resist.

More than that, though, he was ashamed. For 55 days, he'd been his brother's only counsel, yet still they wandered this dark path. Still they were alone. Had he really done all he could to stop it?

"I'm sorry, nii-san," said Netto. "I've failed you."

"Failed me?"

"Do you remember when we met? You yelled at me to wake me up, so you could introduce yourself."

"You're still a heavy sleeper, Netto-kun."

"You were responsible for me," said Netto, "like an older brother should be."

The navi stared at him, at a loss. "What are you saying?"

"I have a responsibility, too: a responsibility to my brother. Have I upheld it, nii-san?"

"I don't see how you haven't."

"We're here, at Enzan's. We train, we eat, we sleep, but Echo is out there."

Rockman's eyes fell. "That may have been a mistake."

"That's not the worst of it, though. You still dream of Roll, don't you? You still see her dying, crumbling in your arms. Every day and every night, she calls to you. I know because I hear it; I hear it through you. And over the last 55 days, I've thought about what we need to do to stop Echo or how we can protect the world, protect Meiru, from her, but I forgot something, nii-san. I forgot about you."

Rockman crossed his legs and sat beside the teacup. He gazed at Netto and asked, "Do you blame me for last night? For keeping you from talking to Meiru-chan?"

Netto looked long and hard at his brother. Of course Rockman knew his feelings, his thoughts, but living with their link as they did, words took a heightened importance. What each chose to say mattered as much as how they felt saying it.

"Yes," said Netto. He tapped up on the pad, and Meiru's joyous laughter splashed across the screen. She was pretty when she laughed. She seldom chuckled out of spite or malice or mockery, and when she was truly happy, a tinge of red stained her cheeks, and she giggled until she could giggle no more.

"I'm sorry," said Rockman.

Netto put the PET down, and the screen blanked out. "Don't be. I know you blame yourself for enough."

"What can we do now? With Sim-chan gone—"

"We can start over," Netto said. "We can start looking for Echo."

"And then we can make everything right."

Netto smiled. "And then we can make everything right." He tucked the PET in the holder on his arm. He marched into the kitchen and laced up his shoes.

"To Enzan?" Rockman said.

"We can help him, nii-san," said Netto. "We can help him stop Echo. Are you ready?"

_Am I ready?_

They descended the elevator, and the light of dawn flooded the lobby. Gold plating and brass chandeliers glittered and sparkled. The light of day—so long it had been since Netto saw it for its full splendor. For many weeks, only the artificial glow of fluorescents met his eyes. To see real daylight again…

"I think so_,_ Netto-kun," said Rockman. "I think I'm ready."

**4**

"What happened, Codey?"

That was the question on Nakamura Hideki's mind, and as he lounged among filth and scratched the lice from his hair, it was the only question he had.

"Where did you go?"

He brushed the dirt off his PET screen, but all he found was empty green background. Codey had left him, deserted him, and should Imi find Hideki, he would be helpless to resist. Even if he managed to escape, his face and his trail would be easily identified without Codey to pick up the breadcrumbs.

_I should've known something was wrong. When he took so long to come back, I should've known. And then the dimensional area went up…_

And that was sure sign of Imi. The two events could not be coincidence. Perhaps Imi had found Codey again and was using him to get to Hideki somehow.

"But onee-san's not evil, Papa!" Codey would say. "She was nice to me. Why would an evil person be nice to me?"

_It was a mistake to make you so naïve, so trusting._

It was also the boy's charm, and it was surely convenient to tell him to break into other people's homes and computers without him realizing that it was a _bad_ thing to do. Hideki could surely cope with such a suspended sense of morality for the moment. Nothing else mattered more than staying away from Imi.

And it made Codey love his father unconditionally…

…_just like Imi._

She was naïve, too. She didn't know any better. How could she possibly think it a mistake, a tragic error, to imitate her master Masuyo as she lay on her deathbed? Her innocence left her unprepared for death, for pain.

_And I made Codey the same way._

Ring ring ring! Ring ring ring!

_Someone's calling me?_ Hideki answered the call, and the two Net Saviors—Enzan and Raoul—greeted him.

"What are you doing?" said Hideki. "How did you get this number?"

"Your navi connected us," said Raoul.

"Codey? You have Codey?"

"Why was your navi working with Echo?" asked Enzan. "Did you tell him to?"

"Working with Imi?" Hideki gawked and scratched his head. "No, no, I want nothing to do with Imi, you understand? Neither should Codey! Now give me back my navi, and let me go before Imi finds us again."

"Dr. Nakamura," said Raoul, "we require your assistance to defeat or contain your daughter."

"She's _not_ my daughter. My daughter is dead."

"Regardless," said Enzan, "we demand your cooperation."

"You can 'demand' all you like; I won't help you."

"Then you won't get your navi back, either," said Enzan.

"Excuse me?"

The screen changed to an image of Codey in steel gray cube. "With your navi in our custody, we can study him extensively," said Enzan. "I'm sure he shares some code with Echo, doesn't he?"

"You can't be serious. He doesn't share a byte of code with Imi."

"We'll find that out for ourselves," said Enzan.

Hideki bristled. "Now you listen to me, kid; give me my navi back, or I'll make something even more destructive than Imi. You hear me?"

"You don't have the resources," said Enzan. "In a few hours of work, your laptop will run out of power, and you no longer have Codey to erase all evidence of your presence."

He was too right. Power, time—everything was in limited supply now. He was out in the open. Still, Hideki was resistant. "What's your point?"

"Come help us stop Echo," said Enzan. "You don't have to run from her; we can protect you."

"You can't protect me from her," Hideki said. "She's everywhere."

"Perhaps you'll reconsider if you speak to Codey?"

"Pardon?"

The lighting flickered, and Codey turned around and found the screen. "Papa!"

Hideki shuddered. "Codey."

"Help me, Papa! I don't like it here."

"Your father has refused to pick you up, Codey," said Enzan. "How does that make you feel?"

Codey gasped. "It's not true, is it, Papa?"

"Come on, Ijuuin, you can't do this!" said Hideki. "Let him go!"

"All your father has to do is come to headquarters," said Enzan, "but he won't do that, not even for you."

"Papa, please!" said Codey. "Take me back home!"

"We built this chamber for Echo, Nakamura-hakase," said Enzan. "To extract data from her and to confine her. What secrets do you think we'll extract from Codey?"

"Are you mad?" said Hideki. "Look at him; he's a boy!"

"He's a navi, and he knows things!" said Enzan. "He knows things about Echo and about you, too. Echo is out there, and she won't stop destroying and killing until she finds you. You know this. Help us stop her, or we will take what we need to know from his data!"

Codey reached for the screen. "I don't want them to! Papa, help me!"

"Codey, stay calm, do you understand me? Just stay—"

"Make your choice," said Enzan. "We'll be waiting."

Click. The screen went blank, and Hideki rested his head on the brickwork.

_I can't go to him. They'll lock me up, and I'll be easy pickings for Imi._

But how would Codey feel? Was this any better than when he abandoned Imi? That experience twisted her heart, and with her great powers (and great insanity), she stood poised to wreak havoc for the days and weeks to follow.

_At least Codey has no fighting capabilities. Codey can't be dangerous._

No, clearly the ability to hack into any network and defeat any security system had no malicious prospects at all. Heaven forbid he sneak into an air traffic control computer or a railway line and decide that the humans who hurt him and confined him must be made to suffer…

_What have I done? I've gone and made another one!_

He scrambled out of the trash and grime and dashed into the daylight.

_I won't make the same mistake twice._

—

Enzan tucked his PET and left the holding room with Codey and Raoul behind him.

"What was that?" said Raoul. "What do you think you're doing, Enzan?"

"Stopping Echo."

Raoul followed him down the hall. "How much do you think the boy knows?"

"He knows who Echo was after," said Enzan. "He knows where Nakamura's been and how he's evaded us."

"I don't like where this is going, Enzan! You'd violate the boy's mind to get at Echo's secrets?"

"I would. It's necessary. We don't know what she's doing or what her intentions are. That's dangerous; _she's_ dangerous. She can't be allowed to run free any longer."

"We've kept her at bay for these two months," said Raoul. "There's no reason to resort to these measures! What's changed?"

"Everything! Echo's changed." _Netto's changed. Sakurai's changed. _I've_ changed._

"That's not everything, is it?"

"No," Enzan said, "it isn't."

Raoul fell back, and Enzan left him behind. He turned a corner, and Blues and Sim appeared on his shoulders.

"Are you happy now, Sim?" said Enzan. "Either we get Nakamura-hakase, or we find out what Echo's after. That's progress."

"Yes."

_You could be more appreciative._

"Enzan-sama, I'm concerned as well," said Blues. "If Nakamura-hakase doesn't show—"

"He will," said Enzan. "I'm sure of it."

"Perhaps going after Imi was the wrong thing to do."

Enzan halted. "What did you say, Sim?"

"What if there's a better way to get Rockman to see himself for what he is now?"

"You said it yourself: we have to apprehend Echo before Rockman can kill her. I don't pretend to understand that, but I accept it. Why do you think I put so much pressure on Nakamura-hakase? Why do you think I've got that boy in a cage now?"

"We can be more direct," said Sim. "Direct is good. In battle, indirect tactics are less successful, more risky. They can be more rewarding, but—"

"This isn't battle," said Enzan. "Remember that."

"Yes, yes of course," said Sim.

Enzan started walking again. "Now go back in the PET. We're going somewhere."

"The police precinct, Enzan-sama?" asked Blues.

"That's right."

"What are you going to do?" asked Sim.

"I'm going to send Sakurai home."

—

"Where have you been?"

They all asked that question. None of them realized that she didn't want to answer.

"Can you tell me what you've been doing?"

No, she couldn't tell them. They wouldn't understand. Some things must be done, though they seem irrational, illogical.

"That PET—that was for Roll, right? Your navi?"

Yes, it was for Roll, but Roll was gone now. Roll wouldn't be coming back.

"Isn't there something we can do for you? Something you want to say?"

_No._

They left her in a room: a room with a mirror and blinds on the interior window. Behind the glass, the officers discussed her fate in pantomime.

Meiru had no interest in watching them. She folded her arms, stretched them over the table, and rested her head in the newly-formed niche. Like sleeping in class. Netto often slept in class.

_And now I may never see him again. I won't find him. It could be weeks, months, years. Echo will still be out there, and Netto won't come home. He won't come back until she finds her and stops her. Or maybe he won't come back at all._

But they—these people, these officers—they would send her home. They would ship her off to see her family and friends again. Worse than seeing them, though, she'd have to _explain_. Why did she leave them for this futile exercise in Ameroupe? Was chasing Netto really so important?

_Yes._

Movement. The officers stared at an unseen foe who hid behind the door. A green light scattered off their faces. They nodded in assent and departed.

_Who's coming?_

The doorknob turned, and Enzan stepped inside and closed the blinds.

"I didn't think you'd be back," said Meiru. "You left me in that police car. Why come back now?"

"I had some business relating to Echo," said Enzan, taking the seat across the table.

"She doesn't give up, does she?"

"No, she doesn't, and neither did you."

"It was silly," Meiru said, "to think I could find him here all by myself."

"You must've had help."

"Not enough. Not nearly enough."

"I told you to go home," said Enzan. "Why didn't you?"

"Because after being out here for so long, I didn't want to go back. When I go back home, people will want to know why, and…I don't know what to tell them."

Enzan stared at her. Sure, he had many qualities of stares (most ranged from cold to frigid), but this time, his jaw hung open, and after a few tense moments, he looked away.

"It doesn't make sense, does it?" said Meiru. "I mean, I came here for a reason: to find Netto. That should be enough, but it isn't. To go home without him—"

"It makes it empty," said Enzan. "Doesn't it?"

"That's it," said Meiru. "It makes it…empty."

Enzan tapped a button on his PET, and the laser light shined into Meiru's.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Take a look: it's your boarding pass."

So it was. A one-way ticket back to Japan, to Densan Town.

"I'm supposed to accompany you," said Enzan, rising, "but with Nakamura-hakase's new navi in custody, I'll be staying. You'll have to go back home yourself."

The ticket disintegrated; the hologram faded. "You mean—"

"I'm letting you go again, Sakurai. Don't make me regret it."

Meiru beamed. "I won't, Enzan! I promise."

Satisfied, Enzan walked Meiru out of the precinct. They chatted together for a few minutes as Meiru waited for her ride, and all manner of subjects and topics came to the fore. Indeed, Meiru questioned Enzan's kindness. "Why are you letting me look for Netto when you haven't been yourself?"

"Because I don't think you should go home alone," said Enzan. "That's all. There are bigger things at stake, but there are smaller things, too. There are—"

An embrace choked off the rest of the sentence. "Thank you, Enzan," Meiru said. "Thank you so much."

The heir to the IPC throne frowned at this. He frowned even more when a limousine pulled up to the station and Meiru released her hug to hop inside.

"Good luck," she said. "I hope you catch her, for Roll's sake."

Enzan nodded, and the limo drove away. "Where does she get all these limousines, anyway?" he remarked.

It was a trivial matter, though. No doubt Meiru had help just as Netto had his.

"Of course," he said. "Ayanokouji's been helping Sakurai. It all makes sense now. It all—"

"Enzan-sama."

"What is it, Blues?"

"I think we have a problem."

"What problem?"

"Sim's gone again."

—

Meiru looked back on the station (with Enzan on the sidewalk) and smiled. "I hope someday I can repay you for this, Enzan. All I could've hoped for was a second chance."

"I can help with that."

That voice! No, it was impossible; it couldn't be! Meiru whipped out her PET and checked the screen, and to her horror, it _wasn't_ empty. Someone had taken Roll's place inside. Someone…familiar.

"You're that navi, aren't you?" Meiru said. "The navi from before."

"I am Sim," said the violet navi. "At least, that's what Netto named me."

"That's what Netto—?" Meiru covered her mouth as the possibilities flashed through her mind. _That's right. She had Rockman's attacks, from his Soul Unisons. How else could she have them unless she knew them somehow?_

"He's all right," Sim said. "He's safe."

"Where is he?" Meiru demanded. "Where is Netto?"

"At Enzan's penthouse."

**5**

"Come on, Netto, pick up; pick up!"

Enzan's limo barreled down the street. Sporadic honks and screeching tires followed behind him as the driver swerved through intersections and abused the gas pedal.

"Why won't he answer?" said Enzan. "Come on!"

"Perhaps he doesn't want to," said Blues.

"If that's the case, then we're already too late." Enzan put down the PET and stared at the road. "Sakurai's already reached him."

—

"Netto!" Meiru sideswiped the kitchen table and scattered the chairs, but thus far the brothers Hikari eluded her. "Netto, are you here?"

"I don't understand it," Sim said. "I've never seen Netto leave. Even when Enzan took me to his company to be looked at, Netto stayed here."

"That Enzan!" Meiru spit the word on the stairs. "He lied to my face; he made me think he didn't know where Netto was, and he was _here_, the whole time!"

"I know you must be angry, but—"

"There's only one person I could be more angry with."

"Who?"

"Netto, of course! The only thing more insulting, more demeaning than Enzan not telling me is Netto not telling _anyone_—not his friends, his parents—no one!"

Meiru whipped open the doors to closets and bedrooms and left a wake of rattling hinges.

"Strange," said Sim. "They never told me you could be so angry."

"I guess that means he hasn't said a word about me, either! Which bedroom is Netto's?"

"Behind us, on the left."

She stomped her way back across the hall.

"Meiru, there's something I haven't told you yet," Sim said.

"There's more?"

"At first I thought it was just the depth of their friendship, but as we battled more and more, I began to realize that—"

"They're linked," Meiru said. "Netto and Rockman." She stopped. "I guess I should call him Saito-kun, shouldn't I."

"I'm not sure he's worthy of that level of respect," said Sim.

Meiru gripped a brass doorknob. "Why would you say that? I'm sure Rockman's been telling him he's a moron for going on this foolish quest. That Netto hasn't listened is just—"

"_Rockman_ is the one who wanted to come here," Sim said. "I don't think Netto really wanted to chase after Imi."

"That's nonsense," Meiru said. "Netto has always been rash and irresponsible. Rockman is the only thing to keep him in line."

"Rockman is consumed by rage and grief and guilt, Meiru. He's isolated himself and Netto for all these weeks to get his revenge on Imi and to make Netto as sad and inconsolable as he is."

"I don't believe it," said Meiru. "Rockman isn't like that; he just isn't!"

"Then open the door," said Sim. "Open the door, and see what Rockman has done to your friend."

Meiru turned the knob, and dozens of scrunched letters greeted her. "What…what is this?"

"Whatever makes Netto happy makes Rockman sad," said Sim. "You make Netto happy. He wrote them all to you, but Rockman wouldn't let him send them. He wrote them at night, when he could think freely, without hearing Rockman."

Meiru sat on the bed and unfolded a crumpled note. " 'Do you remember when you showed me Yaito-chan's dress-up chips at the park? You had Roll try on a dress, and Rockman told her it was pretty. I still don't see how soul unisons and dress-up chips are so different, but it was fun to see Rockman and Roll trying out the new chips together. I wish we could do that now…' " She put the letter down and gulped.

"What's wrong?" asked Sim. "You look ill."

She shook her head. "It's just…the Netto I know doesn't write letters like this. The Netto I know doesn't write letters at all! He doesn't send people cards for Christmas or New Year's. Rockman writes all his e-mails, and even if Netto did write something himself, he should be talking about new games that are coming out or how he needs homework help again or…something! He shouldn't be talking about spending time with me in the park. He just shouldn't."

"Rockman felt it was unfair for him to have you when he couldn't have Roll, too," Sim said. "I can't say I know how Netto feels about you, but if this is any sign—"

"I hope it is." Meiru pressed the letter to her chest and smoothed its wrinkles. "I've hoped Netto would someday come to see me as something more than a friend. I've always tried to be there with him when I could, and when I couldn't, I waited for him. He fights for people even when he shouldn't—when he could end up hurt or worse—because that's who he is, because when people do something that's wrong, it's like an insult to him. There's no way he's going to let that pass. But, I thought maybe one day he would start to fight for something that mattered to _him_, and maybe I could be that something, but…"

She held the letter out and traced the ink strokes with her fingertips.

"…not like this," she said, tossing it to the floor. She eyed the balled-up scraps of paper and sighed. "Not like this."

"I'm sorry," said Sim. "I didn't mean to show you this. I thought if we could bring you to Netto, it would put him back in control instead of Rockman. Now…I'm not sure what he would do."

"How did this happen?" said Meiru. "How did they get here? How did they come to be like this?"

"Roll died," Sim said, "and I think that changed Rockman."

"Not just Rockman." Meiru wiped her thumb over the PET screen, but now, instead of empty space, Sim stared back at her. "I'm sorry," Meiru said. "Bad habit."

"What was she like?"

"Who, Roll?" She tilted her head back and tapped her finger on her cheek. "Roll was…responsible. She never forgot when I had a piano lesson, and she always helped me take notes in class. She was kind. That's why we took in Imi—because Roll felt sorry for her and wanted to do something to help her. She could be frightened. We were good battlers, but sometimes Roll couldn't handle the pressure well. And she was excitable, especially…especially…"

"When it came to Rockman."

Meiru nodded.

"Rockman told me he had to pick between becoming a human to be with Netto or staying as a navi and being with Roll."

"That's what happened. She told him she loved him, and he ran away."

"I think, in retrospect, he does love her."

"Because of what he's done to get revenge on Echo?" Meiru shook her head. "Roll wouldn't want this."

"He kissed me," Sim said, "but I don't think he really meant to kiss _me_."

Meiru blinked. "This is too weird." She stuffed the PET in her bag and headed out, but as she whipped the door open to head out, she collided with something and stumbled back.

"Sakurai, I—" Thwack! Meiru shook her hand to get rid of the sting, and Enzan rubbed his cheek. "I guess I deserve that," he said.

"That's right you do!" said Meiru. "Enzan, how could you? You looked me in the eye and told me you hadn't seen Netto, and now I find out he was here? The whole time? Where did you take him now? Where did he go?"

"He—he isn't here?"

"You don't know where he is, either?"

The pair stared at each other in horror.

"WHERE'S NETTO?"

—

Far across town, a boy in a blue bandana passed between marble pillars and under a hundred panes of glass. He flashed his Net Savior badge, and though the guards and receptionist gaped at him, they let him pass without challenge. The boy wandered the halls and peeked into various rooms. He caught glimpses of whiteboards with newspaper clippings and quizzical riddles and questions. "Where is Echo? Where is Nakamura?"

But more than the questions, there were the pictures. A train station caved in, and rubble flooded the crater. A skyscraper snapped in half and crashed on the lanes of traffic below. These images bore witness to Imi's fury, her determination. She had so much, but where was theirs?

'_She needs to pay for what she's done.'_

So it was, but even still, there was one outlying problem.

_Where's Enzan?_

As Netto scoured the halls, he spotted a yellow light that shined beneath the frames of double doors. He crept inside, and—

"Who are you?"

Netto inched the door shut and faced the voice. On a large screen, a boy in a black shirt and shorts sat with his arms over his knees.

"You're a navi?" asked Netto.

"My name is Codey."

Netto looked about the room. There were swivel chairs and consoles, but all were devoid of life. Perhaps people had been here before; they weren't here now.

"Are you here to ask me things, too?"

"I don't even know who you are," said Netto.

"Oh, then…can you help me?"

"Help you how?"

"The other people—they want to hold me here. They want to take information from me."

"Why is that?"

"So they can get to Papa or onee-san, I think."

'_Didn't Enzan say they caught Imi-chan's brother?'_

Netto squinted. _You think this boy could be it, nii-san? He's so small; he talks like a child._

'_Imi-chan was small.'_

"Please," said Codey, "won't you help me?"

'_May I, Netto-kun?'_

_Sure._

Rockman materialized on Netto's shoulder. "Your sister—why would anyone want to find her?"

"She's done some bad things. I don't like some of the things she does, but she's my sister, and she's nice to me, and she's only trying to make it so it doesn't hurt as much for her."

"What is she trying to do?"

"She's looking for someone," Codey said. "She asked me to look through the videos that the traffic cameras take, so we could follow them and figure out where they might've gone."

"This person—who is it?" asked Rockman.

"I don't know their name, but onee-san showed me what she looked like."

Netto flinched. _What _she_ looked like?_

BANG! The doors burst open. A squad of officers stood in the hallway, and at point, Raoul stepped inside.

"So it's true," he said. "Netto is here."

—

Meiru and Enzan left his penthouse in quiet contemplation. When they reached the street, they went their separate ways. Though Meiru was suspicious, it was also clear that Enzan was as confused as she.

"But if I find out you're hiding Netto from me again," she said, "I'll tell everyone. I'll tell the world, and then _you'll_ be the one who has to explain, not me."

She drove away with Sim in tow. "I was wrong," Sim explained. "I think if Netto and Meiru can see each other again, it will do far more good than to contain Imi. Then Rockman can come to his senses, see what he's done to Netto over these two months, and be a hero again."

Enzan, for his part, went back to Net Police Headquarters. Who knew where Netto had gone and why. In a sense, it was a relief. _At least if I'm not hiding him, I don't have the secret to keep anymore._

This relief was short-lived, however, for when he went to check on Codey, he found Netto, Raoul, and a dozen officers inside.

"Netto and I have been talking, Enzan," said Raoul, "about how you've been taking care of him for the last eight weeks."

"It's all right," said Netto. "Enzan kept me hidden because we asked him to."

"I'm going to make a report to the Net Police World Headquarters about this," said Raoul, "but right now, we're on the trail of Echo. Is that fair, Enzan?"

_Even when I think this is over, it starts back up again._ "Fine, fine," said Enzan. "Just fine."

"It's good to have you working with us again, Netto," said Raoul.

Enzan ignored the conversation and approached a console, where traffic footage flashed across the screen. "What is this?"

"Codey told us that Echo was looking for someone in this footage," said Netto. "He…said it was a girl."

Frame by frame, a limousine made a wide left turn through an intersection.

_A limousine?_

"You said she attacked Meiru yesterday," Netto explained. "Do you think Echo could be after her again now?"

"That was Meiru Sakurai in that limo?" said Raoul. "I thought it was Netto!"

"It was Sakurai," said Enzan. "She was the one with the Battle Chip Gate."

"Well, it makes no difference," said Raoul. "Meiru was arrested today when she tried to get too close to our battle. We can find her at the city police station, and—"

Enzan shook his head. "She's not there."

"Why not?" asked Netto.

"I let her go, so she could look for you."

"Why didn't you tell her?" Netto demanded. "Where is she?"

"She was there!" said Enzan. "At my home. Sim led her there, but you were gone!"

Netto's face twisted. "I left to help you with Echo…but where's Meiru? Where did she go?"

The screen froze. The last frame of footage showed the limousine parked before a cream-colored tower.

"She's there," Enzan said. "She's at her hotel."

"Meiru is?" said Netto.

"No, Echo."

Netto's heart skipped a beat. "We need to go."

"I agree," said Enzan. "Find out which hotel that is, and—"

"No! We need to go!" He stumbled from his chair and bolted through the door.

"Netto, wait!" cried Raoul and Enzan. "Wait!"

—

But as Netto scrambled to the daylight, Meiru and Sim rode a glass elevator into the sky, surrounded by creamy sandstone rock.

"What are you going to do now?" asked Sim.

"Yaito-chan has satellites all over the world," said Meiru. "If anyone can find Netto now, she can."

"There's another option."

"What's that?"

"Use me to fight Imi."

"I thought you just told Enzan—"

"I know what I told him. The truth is, I think he's lost too much trying to keep Netto hidden all this time, but defeating Imi is in everyone's best interest. She has to be stopped."

"Our chances are better with Netto helping," said Meiru.

"This is true, but—"

"No _but_s. I'm going to get my things, and then we'll hit the streets."

The elevator dinged the 31st floor, and Meiru marched to her room. She swiped her card key, turned the handle…

…and faced Imi.

"Eek!" Meiru yelped, and her PET slipped from her fingers. "What—what are you doing here? How did you—"

"I've been waiting for you, Meiru-san."

Meiru dashed for the door, but a vine wrapped around the handle and slammed it shut. Meiru crashed against the metal and collapsed to the floor.

"I need your help," said Imi.

"What makes you think I'll help you?" said Meiru, putting her back to the door. She glanced at the PET. "Sim—"

But Sim blinked and vanished, leaving the screen blank.

"It has to do with Roll-san," said Imi.

Meiru dangled her pointer finger and leveled it at Imi. "Roll's dead! You murdered her, remember? Isn't that enough?"

"It _isn't_ enough. Roll-san still talks to me."

"You mean…Roll's alive?"

"And that's why I need your help," said Imi. "I need you to silence her."

But Meiru shook her head, adamant. "I can't 'silence' her again. That'd be like killing her!"

"If you don't help me," Imi said, "then I'll have to silence _you_ instead."

"Me?"

The Paladin Sword wavered under Meiru's chin. "Make your choice," said Imi. "You or her."

_All this time I thought Roll was gone, but she's inside Echo. She's still talking. What would she do? What would she say?_

"Choose, Meiru-san!" said Imi. "You or her!"

_She'd choose me. She'd sacrifice herself for me if it came to it because she was my friend._

"Don't make me choose for you!"

Meiru picked up the empty PET and pressed it against her heart. _But I'm her friend, too, and I'm the one who has to make this choice. Netto is gone; he may never be found again at this rate, and if losing Roll hurt Rockman so…then maybe her life can bring him back, can bring Netto back. Maybe it's better that Roll live…_

"Meiru-san—"

"I choose Roll!" she said. "I choose Roll."

Imi growled. "It won't stop with you! I'll kill whoever I have to until Roll-san is silent! You, Netto-san, Rockman-san—"

"You can try," Meiru said. "You can try."

"Very well." She pulled her sword back and swiped!

But the blade quivered at Meiru's neck. Though Imi pushed and yanked on her arm, the sword refused to move.

"You can't kill me, can you?" Meiru said. "It's like yesterday: Roll didn't let you, did she? She wanted to fight!"

"I'm in control of my body!" said Imi. "I am in control!"

"Fight her, Roll; fight!" said Meiru. "You can do it!"

Imi clenched her teeth and threw her whole body weight behind the sword, but still Meiru was unscathed. And to their mutual surprise, she found a name on her lips she'd never spoken before.

"Meiru-chan?"

Their eyes met, and Meiru's tears of joy splashed on the blue blade.

"Roll?"


	16. Imitations of Roll

A summary of the latest chapter and a short preview of each new chapter can now be found on my profile page.

**Chapter Thirteen: Imitations of Roll**

"Roll?"

She looked through foreign, alien eyes. Eyes that didn't belong to her. They were narrow portholes though which murder and carnage played, but now those eyes showed her something different: not death or decay. They showed her life.

_The life I lost. The life you took from me, Imi-chan._

"No!" Imi pulled back, and Meiru's tears of anguish and joy dripped on the carpet. "Why do you talk to me, Roll-san?" she asked the room. "Why won't you be quiet? Why?"

'_Keep going,'_ said Masuyo. _'You're doing well, Roll. You can keep her in check.'_

"She can't!" said Imi. "I'm in control; this is _my_ body, and _I'm_ in control!"

"Roll, talk to me." Meiru crept to her knees and faced Imi. Her stare locked the navi in place. "Talk to me again, Roll. Are you in there?"

_I'm here, Meiru-chan!_

"I'm—" Imi stopped up her mouth. "This isn't supposed to happen," she muttered. "This isn't supposed to happen!"

'_You have power over her,'_ Masuyo said. _'Tell her that.'_

"Please, Roll," Meiru said, extending her arm. "I want to hear you."

Imi's eyes crossed and fixed on the soft, smooth fingers that approached her. A pianist's hand it was. After all, as often as Meiru practiced, it was only natural that they be agile and dexterous, nimble and—

She recoiled. "You're not my operator!" she said. "Get away from me!"

_I know these thoughts, these memories, Imi-chan. They're not yours—they're mine—but you can't get rid of them, not while I'm still here. You can't hurt Meiru-chan while I'm here to stop you._

"You may have stopped my sword, Roll-san," Imi said, "but I've been doing this longer than you. I control more powers than you ever did when you were alive."

The thought coalesced in Imi's imagination: a sharp, prickly mass of vines enveloped Meiru, ripped at her clothes, and crushed her ribs.

_I know what you're going to do. I'll stop you!_

"You think you can control all of them?" Imi said. "Just try."

Grove's roots and vines sprouted and wrapped Meiru in their thorny grip. Though a stray tendril here and there wavered and refused to attack, the vast majority obeyed Imi's will and bound Meiru tight.

_They won't listen…why won't they listen to me? _Roll's thoughts jumped from vine to vine, but each time, Imi abandoned the root and reinforced the others. When she left for another, Imi's will returned and reclaimed the disobedient growth.

"You can't handle it," Imi said. "You're just one mind; you weren't meant for it like I am."

'_You weren't meant for this anymore than she was, Imi,'_ said Masuyo.

Imi swatted the remark away, like a fly that buzzed by her ear. "Is it worth it, Roll-san?" she asked. "Is it worth being able to think and feel again just to see Meiru-san suffer?"

And suffer she did. The vines tightened, and Meiru coughed and wheezed and struggled. Her gaze wavered. "Roll, help me…Roll…"

_I'm trying, Meiru-chan; I'm trying!_

"You have a choice," Imi said. "You can go back to the choir, let yourself become one with them again, or you can stay here and watch Meiru-san die."

New vines yanked on Meiru's arms and pulled them apart. She gritted her teeth, but a tiny groan escaped through the gaps in her teeth.

_I…I don't know what to do. Masuyo-san, what should I do?_

'_You can fight her, Roll. You did it before; do it again!'_

_I can't control that many vines; they won't listen to me!_

"What do you have to live for if not Meiru-san?" said Imi. "If I take her away from this world, what else is there to keep you here?"

Meiru gasped for air. "Help me…Roll…"

"You can go back to the choir with Meiru-san alive," Imi said, "or without, because then you have no reason to stay, do you? Then you have nothing."

She was right. Every second she was looking more right. _I can't change this situation; I can't save Meiru-chan, not like this. Nobody could, except…_

Imi twitched. "Except?"

Roll wanted to smile, but Imi's lips held firm in a scowl. Even still, she could smile on the inside. In Imi's choir hall, she smiled, and there was nothing Imi could do about that.

Or about _him_.

_Rockman…_

**1**

On the quiet, Sunday-morning streets of Ameroupe, a checkered taxi weaved through traffic.

"Can't you go faster?" said the passenger. "You won't get in trouble; I'm with the Net Police!"

The cabbie rolled his eyes. "And I'm the Queen of Kingland."

A six-sided logo floated over the back seat. "See?" said the boy. "It says I'm a Net Savior!"

"Hey, that's not bad," said the cabbie. "Can you make one of those for my son? Or did you buy it off the Internet?"

The boy glowered. "Meiru could be in trouble as we speak, and you're asking me if I got my badge from the net?"

"Calm down, Netto-kun," said the boy's navi. "Getting excited won't get us there faster."

"You should listen to him," said the cabbie. "I can take you to the Chandler, but I won't be caught breaking the traffic laws to do it."

The taxi screeched through a yellow light, and a parade of horns blared behind them.

"What do you call that?" said Netto.

"Aggressive driving."

Netto folded his arms and stared out the side window. _I guess this "aggressive driving" will have to be enough. I hope so, for Meiru's sake._

'_No harm will come to Meiru-chan while we're here,'_ said Rockman. _'I know we'll protect her.'_

_She shouldn't even _be_ here. She shouldn't be in danger. If we'd stayed at Enzan's—_

'_We stayed at Enzan's too long. We stayed there because of me, because—'_

_You wanted her to suffer like Roll did._

'_It was wrong.'_

_But she probably deserves it. _Netto's fist beat on the window. _It's happening again. It's Roll all over again, except this time it's Meiru._

'_We don't know she's in danger yet,'_ said Rockman.

"We're here."

The cab idled behind a black limousine. Out the window, the sandy face of the Chandler Hotel glittered in the morning sun.

_Enzan said she was travelling in a limo. She's here, and that means Echo's here, too._

Netto hopped out of the taxi and slammed the door.

"So, I can charge this fare to your friend, right?" said the cabbie. "To…" He tapped the screen on his PET. "To Enzan Ijuu—" He gawked. "Enzan Ijuuin, the Net Savior? The one who fights Echo all the time? You're going to fight Echo, kid? Hey, kid? Kid!"

Netto dashed into the building and spun the revolving door off its hinges. He stormed up to the front desk and presented his badge. "I'm a Net Savior: I need to know where someone is staying here."

"31st floor, room 14."

The sound came not from the clerk but from within Netto's PET. A blonde navi, draped in majestic violet armor, projected herself into the real world and bowed.

"Sim-chan!" said Rockman. "What are you doing here?"

"I was with Meiru when we arrived," said Sim. "Imi was there, waiting for her. I went to Enzan, and he told me how to reach you. I didn't think you'd already be here."

'_She came back,'_ Rockman thought. _'She came back like nothing was wrong, like—'_

_Not now, nii-san!_ He gripped the PET firm and tucked it in his shoulder strap. "We need to go," he said, "for Meiru." He made for the elevators and tapped every "up" button he could find. "Come on; come on!"

'_The hotel network says the nearest elevator is on the 23rd floor.'_

A brown, stained door with a push-bar lay adjacent to the elevators.

"Stairs."

"That's slower than waiting," said Sim.

But if he stood there, hoping for an elevator to come, he'd have to think about what Imi was doing to Meiru. Did she grip her wrist like she did to Roll and show her the horrors of her murder spree? Did she leave her crippled and helpless on the floor and hold her at gunpoint with Rockman's buster?

"Maybe it is," said Netto, "but we can't sit here." He kicked open the door to the stairwell and ran up the 31 flights, one step at a time. "Sim, tell Enzan we need a dimensional area! Hurry!"

"He'll be here soon, if you want to wait for him."

"Does it look like I want to wait?"

—

Rainbow light shined through the blinds, but Imi scoffed and smirked.

"Rockman-san won't come," she said. "Two months now, and he hasn't come. He hasn't stopped me."

_He did try, though. That one time, at the train station…_

That one time, at the train station, Netto and Rockman cleaved Imi in two. She welded the halves together with Grove's healing power, but she staggered and stumbled. The interface melted and turned to goo.

_Netto-san and Rockman hurt you gravely, Imi-chan. They could do it again, too!_

Imi coiled another vine around her victim's neck, and the noose tightened. "If they're so powerful, why haven't they? Why won't they come to stop me?"

"I know why!"

Though Meiru choked and struggled, the words flowed freely from her lips.

"I know why," she said. "I know what happened to Netto and Rockman; I almost—"

"Quiet!" A thick vine smothered Meiru and muffled her pleas and screams.

"And there's nothing you can do, Roll-san," said Imi. "You can't save her."

'_Don't panic, Roll,' _said Masuyo. _'Imi knows your fear before you do; that means you can't afford to be afraid. Be strong!'_

Be strong. Such an easy thing to say. Masuyo wasn't watching Imi crush someone she cared about to lifelessness. Masuyo's viewpoint was a human one; how could she understand what it's like for a navi to watch her operator die?

_Without an operator, we're nothing._

"That's why if you won't go away, I have to kill her," said Imi. "You understand, don't you?"

But even still, the multi-colored glow of the dimensional area ebbed and waved on the carpet, the walls.

_Like watching music…_

Imi frowned. Roll's courage welled within her, long before the feeling gathered itself into words and sentences, but it set the tone. The tenor of this conflict was shifting.

_I have to hold together; I have to keep my wits for Meiru-chan. I can't give in, not yet. Rockman will come! Rockman is coming! If I know Rockman, this is exactly what would bring him out of hiding, whatever his reasons. He's coming for you, Imi-chan, and you're running out of time!_

Imi smirked. "He's not coming. Enzan-san and Raoul-san are coming. Or that new navi friend of theirs—maybe she's coming. You might hope Rockman-san will rescue you and Meiru-san, but he won't. You don't know him; you _didn't _know him. He rejected you, like Papa rejected me. He wasn't ready to love you; he couldn't give you his heart. He couldn't bring himself to care about you!"

The words throbbed in Roll's mind like a wasp's sting. Even still, she tried to deny it. _I'm not you, Imi-chan. You told me that. That was my mistake. You can't tell me we're the same now._

Self-deception, and she knew it. The only thing that was worse was that Imi knew it, too. Roll's mind was an open book to her, and one sentence was scribbled all over the pages:

_Rockman ran away from me, just like Imi-chan's father runs from her._

"It hurts," Imi said. "It hurt both of us. This is why we shouldn't fight, Roll-san. This is why you should go back to the choir, so it won't hurt anymore."

True, it was nice there. It was peaceful. She had not the presence of mind to think or care about Imi's deeds. She was lost, and nothing could reach her…

…except Masuyo.

'_That's no excuse for your actions, Imi,'_ said her operator. _'That's no excuse for what you've done! Roll, tell her!'_

Meiru jerked and wiggled, but the vines held her.

_I can't let Meiru-chan be hurt, and…Imi-chan is right. I could put my faith in Netto-san and Rockman, but where have they been? They wouldn't—they shouldn't let everyone suffer Imi-chan._

_They should be here._

BANG! The door rattled on its hinges. "Meiru! Meiru, are you in there? Answer me!"

She cried and yelped, but Grove's vines masked her sound, reduced it to unintelligible noise.

"Netto-san and Rockman-san's timing is impeccable," Imi remarked. "Again."

_They're good like that. They're very good._

—

R Rockman pushed off the far wall and leveled his shoulder into the white steel door.

BANG! The lock jiggled but didn't budge.

"Rockbuster!" He pointed the barrel forward. "Come on," said Netto, "get me in there!"

'_Netto-kun, wait!'_ Rockman said. _'If we blow up the door, Meiru-chan could be hurt!'_

Netto flinched. "That's right…" The cannon dissipated, and he pounded his fist into the doorframe. "What can we do, nii-san? How can we get inside without—"

'_You could let me do it.'_

That meant give up his strength, his will to Rockman. If Netto didn't have to feel it, they could beat down the door with their bare hands, and no doubt they would have the power to make Imi regret this act. She would regret it dearly…

"No." Netto shook his head. "Not yet. I'm not ready…" …_to give up everything I am._

'_I understand,'_ said Rockman. _'What can we do now, though?'_

That was a good question. How does one get through a door that refuses to open, that you can't break down? If you've exhausted all conventional options, what then?

Netto grinned. _You cheat._ "Gold Fist!"

BANG! The door's midsection buckled; the doorframe splintered.

'_Not too hard!'_ said Rockman. _'You don't want to knock it across the room!'_

"I won't."

BANG! The slab of steel buckled and crumpled, and Netto kicked the remnants away.

"It's been a long time, Netto-san." Imi stepped forward and ducked between the vines. "I guess, in an odd way, we've been expecting you."

Netto stared at the knotted mass of plant life. "What is this? Where's Mei—"

The mass wiggled, and deep within the vines, a flash of red hair poked through it.

_She's in there; she's inside!_ "I'm coming, Meiru!" A Long Blade grew off his arm, and he hacked and cut at the vegetation, but new tendrils replaced the fallen and buried Meiru further.

"I'm not finished with Meiru-san," Imi said. "Roll-san hasn't made her choice."

'_Roll-chan…'_ The mere mention of her wounded Rockman, and the change in his demeanor was instantaneous. _'She has no right to talk about Roll-chan, no right!'_

_Nii-san—_

'_Netto-kun, take her! Quickly, before she hurts Meiru-chan more!'_

That's right. Forget all the distractions. There was only one thing going on here: a villain, an evil, had confined her victim to a sadistic deathtrap. That's all there was to it. Netto was not about to let Imi confuse him with her riddles, perplex him with her lies.

"Fumikomizan!" He warped behind Imi, but she met the attack and locked swords with him.

"You would harm me?" she said. "You would harm Roll-san?"

'_Roll-chan is dead!'_ Rockman said. _'Tell her, Netto-kun!'_

"She didn't have the good sense to say gone," Imi said. "She's still alive, within me."

"Impossible!" Netto said.

"I touched her," Imi said, "and now she's trying to haunt me. She hears everything you say. That's why I came here: to make her silent. If I needed to kill Meiru-san to persuade her, I was willing."

Meiru squirmed and flailed her arms, but the vines pulled taut.

'_It's a trick, Netto-kun! Meiru-chan is suffering; we need to act!'_

"You won't fool us," Netto said. "You _can't_ fool us!"

"Meiru-san can tell you," Imi said. "Listen."

The leafy tendrils unwrapped and exposed her head. Though her tight bindings ruffled her hair, Meiru's will shone in her eyes. Her gaze neither faltered nor wavered.

She beamed. "Netto."

"Meiru!"

A dozen vines sprang up between them and reared back like hungry serpents. "Tell them, Meiru-san," said Imi.

The girl glared.

"Tell them!"

"Is it true, Meiru?" asked Netto. "Is Roll…alive?"

The vines tightened somewhat to persuade her, and though the air gushed from her lips, Meiru nodded. "She spoke to me. She's inside Imi, and she's fighting; I'm sure of it!"

"She won't win," said Imi. "She can't. This is my body."

"Netto, Rockman," Meiru said, "Sim told me things about you, about what happened."

'_Sim-chan told her things?'_ thought Rockman. _'What things?'_

"The letters—I saw them, Netto!" she said.

_She read…my letters?_

"Is it true? Is it all true? Tell me; tell—"

The loose vines enveloped her, muted her. Not a speck of her showed through the foliage.

"Go away, Netto-san," said Imi, her hand morphing to the Rockbuster. "Go away, Rockman-san. Go away and leave us, or I'll hurt Meiru-san."

_She read my letters. She saw things…she wasn't supposed to see._

'_Netto-kun—'_

"Leave," Imi said, "or I won't just hurt Meiru-san."

She turned the buster away from Meiru…

…and pointed it at her own head.

"What is this?" said Netto. "What are you doing?"

"I will not live with voices in my head any longer!" said Imi. "If I can't get Roll-san to be quiet, then I have no choice! You'll lose Roll-san forever; is that what you want?"

"Netto!"

Atop the ruined door, R Blues wielded a Neo Variable Sword.

"We'll take her together," said Enzan. "Ready?"

'_Roll-chan's alive somehow…in some way…'_

Inside the mass of vines, thuds and kicks rumbled.

"Netto, what's wrong?" said Enzan. "Where's Sakurai?"

_Echo has Meiru at her mercy. Meiru _and_ Roll…_

"Someone's inside here!" Enzan said, slicing the tendrils away. "Netto, help me!"

"Your choice, Netto-san?" said Imi. "Rockman-san?"

'_I don't want to lose Roll-chan again, but—'_

_It'd be a crime to kill her again. We can't do it._

'_But Meiru-chan—'_

_Meiru will survive._

'_How do you know?'_

_I hope. _Netto pressed his hand against the mass. _Hold on, Meiru. We'll find a way._

"What are you doing?" said Enzan. "Where are you going? Netto, stop!"

Netto trudged into the hall, with but one last look at Imi.

_For you and for Roll. I promise._

"Netto!"

_We'll be back._

**2**

Far away from this madness, there was a two-story home of oak and birch. Bicycles and skateboards rolled along the sidewalks before it, and great trees cast their shade over the lawn and towered above the rooftop. The neighborhood was a landscape, a picture waiting to be drawn, and on the second floor of the wooden house, a girl with silvery streaks in her hair sat before her window and sketched the first fuzzy lines of a new masterpiece.

"How can you draw at a time like this?"

But this day, Nakamura Masuyo had company. She swiveled in her seat and studied her visitor. "I could draw you instead."

Roll ducked into the bedroom, and her antennae brushed the doorframe. "This place wasn't meant for a navi," she mused.

"This place isn't real," Masuyo said, flipping a page in her sketchpad. "It's my sanctuary from the rest of Imi's mind."

Real or not, it was incredibly detailed. Masuyo's drawings covered the walls. Shiny metal frames adorned some of her works, but others she ripped straight from her pad and taped to the wall directly. People, places, things. Not a soul or grain of sand escaped her artist's eye.

"I know these people," said Roll. "When I was here before, with Meiru-chan, I didn't know who or what anything was, but now—."

"But now, you know everything Imi knows."

True enough, a simple golden frame above Masuyo's desk caught Roll's eye. Within, four drawings lay: one, a woman, dangled a paintbrush on open canvass.

Roll's eyes fluttered shut. "Your mother," she said. "Chouko-san was a painter, but neither you nor Imi-chan knew her. You wanted to draw her, though, so you copied a photograph your father had."

"I added a few things," Masuyo said. "Drawings aren't photos; they're not supposed to be perfect. Papa said it was okay to change some things, distort them, to be more appealing to the human eye."

Roll shot her a look. "Your mother—she wasn't smiling in the photo. She was upset she spilled some paint."

"I wanted her to look happy," Masuyo said, "even if she wasn't."

Roll backed away. This feeling, these memories—they weren't hers. They weren't meant to be hers, yet this was what she'd come back to. This was the price of consciousness: to remember events she never experienced and feel them, live them, as her own.

_It's creepy._

"It's more than that," Masuyo said. "It simply shouldn't be. Imi wasn't supposed to copy like this, not to this extent."

"Does she know we're here?" asked Roll. "That we're talking?"

"She knows," said Masuyo. "It's her mind; she knows. But how many things do you—or, _did you_—know without knowing you knew them?"

"Huh?"

"If she wants to know where we are, she will," Masuyo said, scribbling on her pad, "but you can hear her yourself: she's just happy that you're not talking to her, not in the choir hall."

_That's right; I can hear her myself…_ She closed her eyes again, and the sights and sounds of the real world flashed into her mind. Meiru, in her cocoon, beat on her prison from time to time, a sight unseen but surely felt. Imi, for her part, snuck looks at police cars that gathered at the base of the building, but only one thought was on her mind.

'_I'm so glad…I'm so glad it's quiet.'_

"For now."

Roll jerked to attention. "I'm sorry?"

Masuyo set the pencil on the desk and flipped over the pad. "What do you think of yourself?"

The page was blank.

"Think of what?" said the navi.

"It's you."

"…it's empty."

Masuyo nodded. "Imi could mimic me, but not my drawing ability. She fundamentally doesn't understand how to do it."

"And?"

"When you speak to me, you're speaking to Imi," Masuyo said. "Remember that. I'm not just some foreign interloper; I'm her defense mechanism."

"And what are you defending her from?"

"Herself, of course."

_Of course…_

"That's why I can't stop her alone," Masuyo said, and she paced about the room. "She already knows what I have to say, but you—even though she touched you, you're a variable, an unknown. How you two interact is unpredictable."

"_Unpredictable?" Is that what she calls it? _"How we 'interact' almost got Meiru-chan killed!"

"It's the first thing she's done different since we arrived in Ameroupe," said Masuyo. "That's progression."

_Now it's "progression." These words—they're meaningless!_

"Technically they're thoughts, not words," Masuyo said. "Remember where we are."

"I wish I didn't!" She put her foot down. "I came back because _you_ asked me to, you know, and—"

"You came back because your operator would've died otherwise," Masuyo said. "If you hadn't stopped Imi, she would've killed Meiru-san for using the Battle Chip Gate to keep Papa away. Thanks to you _and_ me, we stopped that. Meiru-san survived for another night. Isn't that worth something?"

"It'd be worth a lot more if she survives 'til tomorrow, too."

"That's why I brought you here, so we can plan our next move."

"And what's that?"

Masuyo pulled her by the wrist and onto the bed's corner.

"You took control from her," Masuyo said. "For one moment, _you_ talked to Meiru-san, not Imi. If you have the will to do it, I think you can do more than that. I think you can take over her body."

"But she beat me," said Roll. "With all those vines—I couldn't control them."

"You need to wait for an opportunity," said Masuyo. "A time when Imi is panicking, stressed. When she's distracted, you can make your move."

"And then?"

"You could let Enzan-san and the Net Saviors capture Imi, or…?"

"Or?"

"You could let them finish her."

Finish her? "But then I would never see Meiru-chan again," Roll said.

"Or Rockman," said Masuyo. "He's important to you as well, isn't he?"

"_Netto, Rockman, Sim told me things about you, about what happened."_

What happened to Netto, to Rockman? What did Meiru mean by that? Why did they disappear for 55 days?

"I don't know what I'll do," said Roll, "but I want to find out what happened to them."

"You shouldn't think about yourself," said Masuyo. "It could cost us a chance to stop Imi for good."

"Maybe it will," said Roll, "but I want to know, all the same."

Masuyo shuffled her pad to another blank page and started drawing again. "This won't end well if you don't have priorities."

"I have priorities," Roll said. "They're just different than yours."

The ghost of Masuyo scribbled knowingly, and Roll left the room.

—

_Roll-chan's alive._

"We could go in through the front…"

Under a white command tent, Enzan circled entry points to the hotel on a holographic whiteboard. "…but it's likely she's watching us, so I think our best course is one of the side entrances. If we can sneak up on her, our chances of subduing Echo and saving Sakurai are increased. The only issue then is how we can keep her from harming Sakurai before we act. We have spotters across the street and all around the hotel. If she so much as pokes her head outside, we'll know, but given that she controls the vines that surround Sakurai with her mind, even a momentary distraction might not be enough. I'm thinking we may have to attack from an unseen vantage point. There are a few options for this: through the ceiling or the floor or…"

Or he could drone. On and on, Enzan pieced through the makings of a plan, and Netto and Raoul listened intently, but they were all missing the point.

_Roll-chan's alive…inside Imi-chan._

'_It's like I said,'_ Netto assured him, _'we'll find a way to bring her back.'_

But how could they ensure Roll's survival when it stood squarely at odds with Meiru's? Enzan himself admitted the scenarios were grim: either Imi would die or Meiru would. Or, at best, they might cripple Imi and rescue Meiru, but even so, this left a bitter taste in Rockman's mouth.

_Because if Imi-chan suffers, so will Roll-chan. She must see and feel what Imi-chan sees like I do with Netto-kun._

'_We don't know that,'_ said Netto.

_We don't _not_ know it._

'_If we can get her out of Echo somehow, it'll be worth it. She'll understand.'_

True, a logical, rational person would understand, but if the navi they rescue from Imi's mind were totally logical and rational, would it really be Roll? Or a shade of her, a figment? Would a logical, rational person have waited so long to admit her feelings? Would a _logical_, _rational_ person have the guts to tell a psychopathic little girl to give up on her father?

_I guess we'll never know._

The morning wore on, and the trio of Net Saviors drew up ideas and sent them to the garbage pile. They toyed with blowing open the door to the balcony for line of sight and then sealing off Meiru in a dimensional bubble, but in the words of a dimensional generator technician, "There's no guarantee we'll get all of her. If we try to make the bubble too small, we could slice off an arm or a leg or…well, you get the idea, but if we make it too big, odds are we'll get Echo inside the bubble too, and that won't work, will it."

'_No,'_ Netto thought, _'that won't work at all.'_

"So we try it on Echo," said Raoul. "Instead of freeing Meiru from her, we trap Echo in a bubble."

"Will that stop her from killing Meiru?" asked Sim. "Do we even know?"

The three Net Saviors and their navis exchanged looks.

"We don't know then," said Sim.

"Nakamura-hakase might," said Netto. "He designed her."

"Our people at Headquarters say he hasn't turned himself in yet," said Blues, "if he even intended to do so at all."

"We can't count on his help anyway," Sim said. "We coerced him."

Rockman frowned. _Sim-chan's really involved in this, isn't she?_

'_We created her to be involved, just not this way.'_

_I guess so._

"What are you saying?" asked Enzan. "That we shouldn't have used Codey to our advantage?"

"I just think it may make him more uncooperative," said Sim.

_She told Meiru-chan where to find us._

'_That's not all.'_

_You didn't like that she told her about your letters?_

'_You didn't like that I wrote them.'_

Which part was worse—that he wrote them in secret and managed to keep the thought of them buried in his mind, where Rockman couldn't find them, or that he had someone to write to at all?

The latter. Definitely the latter. _It's different now. Roll-chan's alive. What's wrong about the letters?_

'_I don't know.'_

_What do you mean? Why would you write a letter if you didn't mean for Meiru-chan to read it?_

'_I knew I couldn't send it because you wouldn't approve.'_

_And now?_

'_I didn't write them for her to read them. I wrote them because I wanted to write them.'_

_That doesn't make any sense._

Netto grimaced and shifted in his seat. _'I wouldn't have said everything I said if I thought she would read them.'_

_I see._ Rockman backed off the growing uncertainty and discomfort that occluded his brother's mind. Though he had his suspicions (suspicions he couldn't hide, either), he kept them to himself as much as he could. Not just for Netto's sake, for though they'd been discussing his letters, they'd also hit on something else—Sim's involvement—and while Netto was easy enough to understand, Sim was not.

'_Go easy on her, nii-san.'_

_I will._

While Enzan and Raoul debated the validity of a rooftop siege, Rockman pulled Sim aside. They wandered to a far corner of local cyberspace, where neither Blues nor Thunderman could hear.

"I don't understand," said Sim. "What do you want?"

"To talk," said Rockman. "That's all."

"I had my reasons for leaving," she said. "Please, don't be angry."

_Angry? Should I be angry?_

'_She left in the middle of the night.'_

That's right; she disappeared. Outside of their conversation at the elevators, this was their first meeting all day. Strange, how time flies…

…soars…

…or stalls.

But now Rockman was curious. "Why _did_ you leave, Sim-chan? Why did you fight Imi-chan at the transport ministry? Why did you bring Meiru-chan to Enzan's?"

Strangely, she took his hand, but the look on her face was distant and concerned. "You…you asked me to help you."

_I did?_

'_You did, but…through me.'_

Oh. That.

"And I'm trying to help you," Sim said. "I'm trying the best way I know how, though I don't know if anything good has come of it yet."

"I don't understand," said Rockman.

"You can't kill her, you know," said Sim. "You can't kill Imi. I know you must feel like you owe Roll something, but you don't. You couldn't have predicted what would happen, and if you think you need to make up for it—"

"How can I kill her?" said Rockman. "How can I kill her when she's the last thing I have of Roll-chan?"

Sim blinked, and her eyes darted about.

"Doesn't that make sense?"

"Oh, yes, yes, of course it does," she said. "It's just…I'm glad!" She laughed. "I'm so glad you can't even know. When you and Netto told Enzan that Roll was still in Imi's mind, he wasn't pleased. He thought it might've been a ploy from Imi, but if it's true—"

"Meiru-chan believed it."

"Then naturally you'd want to do something about it," she mused.

"I don't know what, though," said Rockman. "Without Nakamura-hakase's help, I can't think there's a way to free Meiru-chan and Roll-chan together."

"We could approach him directly," said Sim. "It makes no sense to wait for him to turn himself in; the situation is dire, and we need his help now."

'_Enzan and Raoul have been chasing Nakamura-hakase for two months now,'_ said Netto. _'Even though we have Codey, what could make him help us now?'_

Rockman nodded. "He's been running away from Imi-chan; I don't think he'll help us, even if we ask him."

"You should try," said Sim. "You can't be afraid to fail."

Netto peeled back the cloth that shaded the tent from the outside and peered up at the balcony 31 stories above.

"We don't want to leave them," Rockman explained. "Netto-kun and I can't leave Meiru-chan and Roll-chan up there and look for Nakamura-hakase when it could all be for nothing. If something happens—if Imi-chan snaps—I want to be here. _We_ want to be here."

The violet navi's gaze breezed past him.

"Sim-chan?"

"Hm?" Her eyes fluttered. "Oh, I'm sorry. You're right, of course. You and Blues and Thunderman should be here in case something happens; I agree."

"That's good," said Rockman.

"But I don't have to be."

"Ah—Sim-chan!"

She vanished.

'_Where is she going?'_

_I don't know!_

"Rockman!" Blues trotted up to him. "What happened to Sim?"

Rockman stared at empty space, the space where Sim had been. "I think she's going to see Nakamura-hakase."

**3**

_Something's wrong here._

A pair of officers, with their six-sided holographic badges, danced in the middle of the street. They waved their arms and twirled on the tips of their toes. Their shrill whistles pierced the morning air, and behind them, a squad of cars took off to the north, sirens blaring, on the cleared stretch of street.

_Something's happened._

Nakamura Hideki stepped back, and the shadows of skyscrapers draped over him.

_Imi's happened._

Far across the street, another legion of Net Agents poured from the confines of their Ameroupan Headquarters. They scrambled for their cars, and red and blue lights, dozens of them, sparkled in pairs.

_This isn't what's supposed to happen. There shouldn't be so _many_ of them, but they all know my face…_

Beneath the gravel and soot, a silver mirror shined. Though spots and grime marred its surface and loose fragments scattered from the backing, a small, hand-sized area reflected truly—truly and without mercy, for the battered mirror showed Hideki specks and stripes of dirt that wouldn't rub away. His lips cracked, and blood seeped from these crevices. Small red spots hugged his hairline, and the perpetrators—a gaggle of head lice—scrambled for cover from the sun's rays.

_This is the first face Codey knew me by. The first one; the only one._

For on a drizzly day 56 days before, soot and ash mixed with water and settled on his cheeks. Hideki fled the ruins of a collapsed train station—the remnants of battle between R Rockman and Imi. The street and the pavement gave way under his feet, but he escaped from the crater and continued onward, for there was only one unique direction:

_Away. Away, away, away!_

But putting distance between him and the ruins dimmed not the sights and sounds of battle. In Hideki's mind, spare petrol spilled on the ground, and a stray energy bolt (was it Imi's or Netto's? would anyone know?) ignited the fuel. Rays of sunlight focused into an intense beam, one that severed the tracks and etched a deep grove in the ground.

And a boy in sky blue armor, whose stripes shimmered and glowed, sliced his daughter in two.

_Not my daughter. She's a navi; all I did was make her, give her life._

Had that been Imi's end, all would be well, but she put herself back together.

_She did something she was never supposed to do._

It was for this that Hideki fled, and yet, confronted with prior failure, it was even harder for him to dig through the lost folders on his laptop's hard drive and search through the unworthy.

_The navis that could've been._

But to stay away from Imi, to keep her from finding him again and destroying ever more, he needed help. In his search to appease Masuyo, to give her a gift that would last her until her final breath, Hideki crafted dozens of these navis, many of whom were nothing more but empty frames. After all, appearance is what makes you want to know more about a person; the way a navi looks is what entices a programmer to grant him complexity and depth.

_A personality. A soul._

With each new look came also a different gimmick—something special for Masuyo, something that only he could do for her. A navi you could buy in a store or order online would never do. No, this navi had to be special. Uncanny imitation, for example, was quite special.

_Especially deadly._

Draft, an artist, was another candidate for Masuyo's companionship, but Hideki wavered to give his daughter a navi who could still draw and paint and sketch while her illness stole those abilities from her. On the opposite end of the spectrum was Lancer, a strong and capable fighter, but though Masuyo fancied herself a net battler on the odd day, it was a mere daydream, nothing more.

_Little girls have so many daydreams._

But Masuyo's body deteriorated with each passing day. It wouldn't be long before she couldn't walk or draw. It was a matter of practical interest to develop a navi that could manage more than e-mails and web surfing. Masuyo's navi would be in charge of her life, her well-being, and to fully meet her needs, this navi might require considerably more finesse and aptitude for networks and systems than an ordinary one.

_That's what became Codey._

And now, many months after Hideki designed him, imbued him with life, Codey could be useful. It would take hours to adapt his programming for this new purpose—not just to control digital systems but to penetrate them, to scan the internet for signs of Hideki's existence and purge them. Hideki grabbed what hacking algorithms he could and stuffed them into Codey. Size was irrelevant; as long as he could do the job, he didn't need to do it daintily, but more powerful than any single cipher-breaker or service attack was the power to adapt. In this way, though he was loathe to do it, Hideki pared down and simplified some of the imitative algorithms that powered Imi and fed them into Codey as well. Whether his program would accept this hodgepodge was an open question, but it could only be answered by turning him on.

Click. The boy blinked and stirred. He rubbed the simple black shirt and shorts that clothed him between his thumb and forefinger and looked through the screen. "Who are you?"

"My name is Nakamura Hideki. I created you. Your name is Codey."

Though Hideki crouched beneath an awning, rainwater splashed on the screen. Codey jumped back in surprise and ducked the droplets that fell.

"Don't be frightened," Hideki said. "It's just rain."

Still, Codey shrunk back. "Are you my papa? If you created me—"

"No!" Hideki's heart seized. "I'm not your father! I created you; that's all. That doesn't make me your father. Understand?"

The boy backpedaled. "I'm sorry! I won't do it again; I'm sorry!"

Hideki's glare softened, and he shook his head. "Don't be sorry," he said. "I made you to be a kid; you couldn't know any better."

Codey nodded, and he inched closer. "If you're not my papa, what should I call you?"

_That's a good question._

The wails of sirens drooped in the distance, and the dancing officers in the street spun each other to the sidewalk. Traffic flowed again, like water over a dam.

_I'm not your father, Codey. A father wouldn't hesitate._

"Are you Nakamura?"

Hideki jumped, startled. "Who's that? Who's there?"

"Here," said the voice in his pocket. "In your PET."

"In _my_ PET?" His clutched the device but thought better of pulling it out. _Best if no one sees where I am._ "What do you want?"

"I work with the Net Saviors."

He huffed. "What makes you think I want to talk to you? You're keeping my navi prisoner at your headquarters," Hideki said.

"Enzan told you to come if you wanted him back," said the voice, "and you are. You're there."

_How could she…?_ He whipped out the PET. "How do you know where I am?"

"Once I got in your PET, I turned on the GPS."

"So what then?" he said. "You're going to tell them where I am?"

"Not yet."

"Why not?"

"I need your help. _We_ need your help."

"Is that right." Hideki scoffed. These people—these Net Saviors—they practically had him in their clutches, and they were _asking_ for his help? "I don't know whether to feel humored or patronized."

"I know Enzan tried to compel you to turn yourself in," said the navi. "Why didn't you?"

"Codey calls me his father, but I'm not," Hideki said, "and you know what? Maybe it's better that way. I resurrected him from a pile of unfinished navis, and for what? This? Look at me! I'm filth, and that's just the outside. No, Codey doesn't need me to be his father. At least you Net Saviors or whoever you are—you won't lie to him. You won't keep the truth from him."

"You must care about him if you came this far."

"I'm just trying to stay alive. Either way, if I leave Codey behind, Imi will find me. If I go to him, you and your people will make me confront her. I had a daughter once, and she died, but it didn't stop there. Imi wanted me to be her father, but I didn't want it. I was weak, and I neglected her. Do you know what she did to make me happy? She killed. She deleted navis; she murdered a girl right before my eyes, and it's a good bet if I met her again, she would do the same. She would do whatever she had to if she thought it would make me happy in her twisted mind, and I won't be responsible."

The blonde navi licked her lips and pressed them together.

"What are you thinking?" Hideki said.

"What if…what if I can give you Codey?"

"Excuse me?"

"I'll get Codey back to you, and in return, you help me. I need your expertise."

Hideki raised an eyebrow. "This is a trick, isn't it? I've seen all the commotion; Imi's done something again, hasn't she? And you're trying to get my help."

The navi was at a loss.

"That's what I thought." Hideki stepped forward again, out of the shadows. "You can go back to your Net Saviors and tell them this ploy didn't work."

"It wasn't a ploy!" said the navi. "I tried to make you an offer in good faith; I hoped that we could make an arrangement without applying duress. They don't know that I'm here."

Hideki rolled his eyes. "Sure they don't."

"Well, they didn't."

He froze. "They _didn't_?"

"I gave you a chance to cooperate," she said, "but this is too important. Meiru could die, Roll could be destroyed, and Netto and Rockman…" She shook her head, fearing the possibilities. "If either of those things happened, they wouldn't be the same."

_Netto and Rockman? I haven't seen them since… _"Just who _are_ you?"

"I am Sim."

"That means nothing to me."

"Then maybe this will: I'm the navi who just told the Net Police where you are."

Across the street, the dancing officers pulled out their PETs. They scrutinized the screens carefully and unhooked their pistols from their holsters. The man pointed down the alley, and the woman stared between passing cars…

…straight at Hideki.

_Oh no._

The female officer thrust her badge in the air and her free hand before her. Brakes squealed, and an SUV rear-ended a delivery van. The pair of vehicles skidded along the street, kicking up sparks and burning rubber.

"Make me a deal!" Hideki said.

"Pardon?" said Sim.

"Stop right there!" The male officer dashed across traffic. "Net Police!"

_Great._ Hideki backed up and ran through the alley, over rubbish bins and banana peels.

"What are you talking about?" said Sim.

"You said you wanted to make a deal! I'm listening; make me one!"

"It's too late. They're coming for you."

"You can catch me, you can hold me, but if it has to do with Imi, I won't help you, understand? Give me Codey and let me go, and I _might_ help you."

"What makes you think you're in position to negotiate?"

"Do you need my help or someone else's?"

That seemed to resonate. "Go north," Sim said.

"North? Why north?"

"That's where we need you," she said. "Look for the orange and brown building with an elevator on the side. It's the Chandler Hotel."

_North…where all the police went…is this another trick?_

"Do we have a deal?" Sim said. "Will you help me?"

"Get these cops off my trail," Hideki said, "and I'll meet you at this Chandler, but that doesn't mean I'll help. I'll need Codey to be able to do anything."

"At the Chandler then." Sim dematerialized.

"He went this way!"

Hideki ducked into a hair salon and stomped on shampoo bottles as he made for the back door. _Come on, if you're serious about this deal, help me!_

The puddle of thick, viscous sludge slipped up the male officer, and his partner slammed into him.

_Maybe I need to do this myself._ Hideki flipped open a dumpster and climbed inside. _I wish this were new._

The officers' PETs beeped at them. "He's doubled back," said the woman. "Let's go."

_Good enough for me; send them misinformation after giving them a tip is pretty smart, actually._ Hideki hopped out and brushed the gunk off his dirtied clothes. He looked north, and the coral-colored minerals of the Chandler glittered and sparkled.

_So why don't I think this is smart, too?_

—

Back at Headquarters, Sim breezed past the security checkpoints and firewalls. The guards and scanners yielded to her, for she had the codes—and trust—of one of their own.

_What have I done?_

On one hand, it was easy to answer that question. She'd willingly deceived two agents of the Net Police, and now, she was about to release someone from their custody. Her actions were simple. They were so simple that they failed to answer her question at all.

_It's not just what I've done. It's why I'm doing it. I'm betraying them. They need Nakamura to stop Imi, and now I'm risking that, I'm risking _everything_, to save Roll and Meiru. This isn't what I set out to do. I should've just let him get caught._

But then he wouldn't help her. Then he would stand back for his stupid pride, for he wanted nothing to do with Imi, and he would let his fear and insecurity keep them from thwarting her. He was dumb; he was illogical. He never feared for his life—just for his dignity. Facing Imi would only undermine his dignity no matter the outcome. Imi was a failure, and so was he. It mattered not if she went on to slaughter hundreds, thousands, or millions. They were already failures, and in his mind, there was nothing he could do to change that.

_And I'm supposed to trust this man to help me, to help Roll?_

Was it really any more irrational than hoping to resurrect her at all? She was a lump of data in Imi's program; perhaps she was a simple ghost, something unrecoverable, and even if she weren't, what guarantee was there that she would bring Rockman to his senses?

_I know because he told me. He won't leave Roll, not like this._

Even still, a dangerous level of uncertainty remained, and she'd crossed the Net Saviors, too. Who knew how Enzan would react.

_He doesn't need to know yet._

At last, the final firewall receded, and a plain metal cube sat on the infinite plane.

_Here we go._ Sim walked to the terminal—the only way to talk to the prisoner, the only way to release him—and opened a link to the inside of the cube. "Codey? Are you in there?"

"Who is that?" said the boy. "What's happening?"

"I've come to take you away from here," said Sim. "I'm going to take you home."

**4**

'_Are you afraid?'_

They encircled the building—the Net Police in their pearly patrol cars. They filed out and set barricades. They shuffled in and out, around the building and into the pointed command tent. From high in the sky, they were dots. As dots, they moved in random, inscrutable patterns. Perhaps there were no patterns at all, but whether they walked with a purpose or wandered aimlessly, these dots had mobilized against Imi. That was their ultimate goal.

_They all came for me._

Imi slid her hand back, and the blinds snapped back into place. She paced and thought and waited. Sometimes she looked at Meiru, whose face, though scratched and cut, was calm and peaceful.

_She could've died if I kept her buried all the way, and I'm not ready for that. Not yet._

It was odd for her to be so quiet. Even Roll thought this was strange behavior. Since Imi'd captured her, Meiru was unimaginably vocal, hoping to reach Roll, but now, she dangled from the vines that bound her and breathed to a steady, shallow beat.

_She's sleeping._

Bizarre, to say the least, that she could be at ease while Imi, the one who held her captive, was not.

'_You can't sleep or rest because you're afraid, aren't you?'_

Imi shook her head. _Why should I be afraid? I'm in control here, not you, Roll-san. You can't trick me. I know what Masuyo-chan asked you to do._

'_What do you think will happen if you kill Meiru-chan?'_

_You'll go away._

'_You know I won't. That's why you haven't killed her yet.'_

_Even with Rockman-san here, in the command tent, they can't save Meiru-san._

'_Will you try to kill him, too, if Meiru-chan dies and I'm still here?'_

_Kill Rockman-san?_ She paced faster. _I wouldn't; I couldn't! He was only ever nice to me. He was never mean._

'_What did Meiru-chan ever do to you?'_

_She kept me from Papa! She stole him away!_

'_What did _I_ do?'_

_You tried to make me forget about him. That was wrong of you, Roll-san._

'_You're holding her to get rid of me.'_

_Because I don't know what else to do! This never happened before. When all the others died, when I killed them, they all stayed silent. But then you came back because of Meiru-san—_

'_And now you can't be sure if I'll stay gone even if you kill her, can you, Imi-chan?'_

Imi halted. _No, this is a trick. You're trying to confuse me; you're just making an opening, so you can—_

'_Maybe I'll go away, and maybe I won't. Maybe I'll go and then come back because Rockman or Netto-san come back to fight you. That could happen, too.'_

She trembled. _It could; it really could…_

'_And if I don't go away, if no one you kill can stop me from talking to you, then what?'_

_I…I don't know…_

'_This isn't what you wanted, is it? To be locked in an endless cycle of killing…'_

That was the prospect if Roll wouldn't be silent, and while it was her decision to stay with Imi—hers and hers alone—what if she _did_ go away? The search for her father entered its 56th day today, yet even without a band of soloists to harass her, Imi managed to find plenty of opportunities to murder and maim, all in the name of finding her father. Some of them she hadn't touched, and of them, nothing remained, but the others whispered to her. When Roll was silent, watching and waiting, the others made their grievances known: through agony and despair they crafted a hideous lamentation, a corrosive hiss that weakened all resolve. Even in the choir, free of the burdens of their lives, they wished upon Imi only death.

And though the death was not hers, it was all she had. 56 days, and her father was nowhere to be found. He always ran and refused to help her; he'd forsaken her. He condemned her to solitude: a perverse loneliness with the voices in her mind, a—

'_Quickly, Roll: do it now!'_

A flash! No longer was Imi in the hotel room with Meiru. Instead, the spotlight of the choir hall burned into her flesh.

_What is this? What's happening?_

Roll, her only councilor, stared coldly. _'I'm setting Meiru-chan free.'_ She rushed the pedestal and grappled with Imi, and in the hotel, the vines tightened and loosened. They swayed, they flailed, and Meiru stirred from her slumber.

"Roll, what's going on? Are you fighting her?"

_She won't win!_ Imi slipped through Roll's grasp, and the two minds circled each other in the spotlight, the center of the choir hall.

'_I _will_ protect Meiru-chan from you,'_ said Roll. _'Let her go, and we won't need to fight.'_

_But you're always going to fight me, Roll-san. Masuyo-chan wants you to._

Roll faltered. _'We're not the same; we want different things!'_

_I know you do. That's why you won't win. That's why you _can't_ win._ Imi dashed toward her assailant and shoved Roll off the pedestal. Roll's image skidded on the hall floor.

_You've lost._

The vines were still. Meiru, sensing a fleeting chance to escape, bashed her fist on a green tendril, but the mass caught her again and smothered her.

Imi grinned. _You won't fool me like that again, Roll-san. I'll be ready next time._

'_You can be ready all you like, but I'll still be here, and I won't go away if you kill Meiru-chan. You know this. Let her go!'_

All trickery aside, the point was still there, and it frustrated Imi. Would slaying Meiru devastate Roll or enrage her? Not even Roll knew, and that made the decision all the more impossible. Imi had banked on Roll backing down when Imi threatened her life, but now this plan was going wrong, all wrong…

Ring ring ring, ring ring ring!

'_Is that…my PET?'_

Sure enough, the pink and white case sat on the floor behind Meiru and disrupted the silence.

"Who is it, Meiru-san?" asked Imi. "Do you know?"

The vines restrained her head, but two brown eyes went one way and then the other.

Ring ring ring, ring ring ring!

_It's just another distraction._ Where did she leave off? Roll's assault disrupted her pacing route, and now she'd lost her place. Was it over there, by the window? Closer to Meiru, perhaps?

_It doesn't matter. _She paced anyway; the starting position was immaterial. _They're trying to confuse me, trying to—_

"Onee-san?"

Halt. "Codey-kun?" She raced to the PET. "Codey-kun, is that you?"

Sure enough, the brown-haired boy looked back at her, but his eyes were dull and cold.

"I don't understand," said Imi. "Enzan-san and Raoul-san—they captured you. How did you escape?"

"With my help." A navi with long blonde hair and violet armor stepped into frame.

'_She's the one who fought you. She's the one with Rockman's powers.'_

"You again?" said Imi. "I thought you worked with Enzan-san."

"The situation required some…new tactics," said the navi. "I am Sim, and I have an offer for you."

"What offer?"

"You can see I've got your brother here," said Sim. "I hope by bringing him you can see I'm serious."

"About what?"

"A trade," said Sim. "Give up Sakurai Meiru, and I can deliver something far more valuable."

Imi rolled her eyes. "What can you deliver that can help me? At least with Meiru-san there's a chance I can silence Roll-san. What do _you_ have?"

"I have your father."

—

"Take me home?"

Outside the small gray cube, three navis watched from the control console, and Sim's voice played over the recording.

"That's right," she said. "I'm going to take you to your sister and father."

The screen flickered. The projection of Codey shook its head. "I don't want to see onee-san."

"You don't?"

"She left me," he explained. "She left me behind, so she could go after the girl. She cares more about things being quiet than about me."

A pause. What Sim did—how she looked or felt in response to Codey's remarks—was not recorded in the security video.

_I don't know how I would've reacted, either._

"Can you take me to Papa instead?" said the boy. "I want to see Papa."

"Your father is helping me," Sim said. "He's helping all of us, including your sister."

"Papa doesn't like onee-san, though. At first, I didn't understand. She was nice; it's just that she wouldn't touch me. Then Papa told me who and what she was, and back there, at the transport ministry, she showed me that, too. Papa told me she would do that, that if she heard someone talking to her, she could kill them. I didn't believe it then."

"And now?"

"Now I do, but there are things I still don't understand. Papa won't help onee-san. He doesn't like talking about her."

"Why is that?"

"I think…" Codey's eyes drifted over the walls. "I think he's afraid. That's what he was saying—that she wasn't supposed to be that way. She wasn't supposed to hear people talking to her; she wasn't supposed to imitate so well. Papa didn't make her right then, and he won't make her right now, either. That's what I don't understand. If you made something, would you let it stay wrong?"

"I hope not."

Codey's gaze hit the floor. "I wonder…"

"You wonder what?"

"Do you think Papa made me wrong, too?"

Another pause.

"We're losing time," said Blues, pushing buttons on the console. "We should fast-forward through—"

"Wait." Rockman stayed his hand, and the playback continued at normal speed. "Let it finish," he said. "I want to hear this. I want to hear all of it."

"I don't think he made you wrong," said Sim at last, "but I can't be sure yet."

Codey nodded, and on the floor, his lonely finger traced a circle in the dust.

"I was made by someone, too, you know," said Sim.

"You were?"

"I was, and they—" She stopped. "_He_ was very kind to me, I think, but I left him. I left Rockman."

"Why?"

Rockman leaned forward. _That's the question, isn't it: why did you leave, Sim-chan? Why are you doing this now? Where are you taking Nakamura-hakase and his navi?_

"Because I care for him."

_She…she what?_

'_You took her on dates, and you're surprised by this?'_

Netto's observation was dead-on, yet somehow, the idea shocked Rockman. He'd planned their outings to the moment for her awe and wonder, but the thought that she enjoyed them for _him_…

That wasn't how love worked. That wasn't how Roll worked, and why should Sim be any different? Roll dreamed of romance and courtship—that was what she wanted, and surely it was no matter to her who granted those wishes.

_But she deserved to have those dreams come true._

Sim, on the other hand, was hardly old enough to dream at all. Their play-dates were mere motions and acting. It was easy for Rockman to blind himself from Sim's brown, patient eyes and see Roll's exuberant green ones instead. Now, to think she would've sabotaged their plans and hopes to capture Nakamura…

_It doesn't make sense._

"So you want Papa to help him?" said Codey.

"No, I need your father to help a friend of his."

"Who?"

"Her name is Roll."

_Help Roll-chan? How can Nakamura-hakase help Roll-chan without—_

A window opened, and an image of Enzan popped up next to Blues. "She's going to bring him here," Enzan said. "That's what Sim hopes to do. Blues, come back. We need to mobilize everyone. Our best chance of saving Sakurai is with Nakamura-hakase on our side."

"Understood," said Blues. "I'm on my way back."

"You too, Thunderman," said Raoul. "We need all the help we can get."

"Roger!"

Blues and Thunderman dematerialized and headed back through the net to their PETs.

Rockman, however, stayed behind. _There's still more here…_

"How will helping her help Rockman?" asked Codey.

"I'm hoping he can bring her back to life," Sim said. "If he can, Rockman won't have reason to grieve anymore. He won't doubt himself or blame himself for his mistakes. Then he can give up this vendetta against your sister. He can be noble again. He can be a hero."

Codey stared at the monitor.

_That's what Sim-chan wants. She thinks I'm not…I'm not…_

'_She's right, isn't she?'_

Two months. Two months since Imi took Roll away, since he pushed her away, and no, he hadn't felt very heroic at all. What dignity was there in hiding at Enzan's and burying his anger and sorrow in simulators? It was safe, and it shielded him from the dangerous upwelling of pain, but 56 days in isolation had done him and everyone else a disservice.

Especially Roll.

_She _is_ right. You're right. You're all right._

"Will you help me? Not just me, but Roll and Rockman and your sister, too?"

"And Papa?"

"And your father."

Codey nodded. The near panel of the cage dissolved, and the navi escaped through the breach.

'_Come, nii-san,'_ said Netto. _'We can do something now.'_

Rockman tapped the panel, and the images faded to black.

_Let's go._

—

Nakamura Hideki shook his head and clung to the shadows. "This is wrong."

From a dark alley he watched the Net Police and city authorities block off the Chandler Hotel. Striped barricades separated spectators from the scene, and on the far side of the plaza, a boy in a red vest and camouflage pants pointed across the street and directed legions of men to scour the area.

"Imi is here." That was the only explanation. That navi lied to him, deceived him, and now he was in the Net Saviors' sights and at arm's length from Imi's grasp. Where was she? In the hotel? Who or what had she threatened this time? Why did they need his help now more than ever?

"Nakamura, are you there?"

_Oh, I'm here all right._ He snatched the PET from his pocket and scowled. "You lied to me!" he told the purple navi. "Imi is here! I told you I wanted nothing to do with her; was there something about that you didn't understand?"

"Codey is with Imi now," said Sim. "If you want him, you'll have to go to the 31st floor and claim him."

"You did what? You _gave_ Codey to Imi? Do you know how mad she is?"

"We've made a deal: we're going to trade you for her hostage."

"And you expect her to keep to this deal?" He huffed. "You're even dumber than I thought."

"She may have disguised herself as Echo for a time," said Sim, "but I've studied her profile: she doesn't lie as a matter of course."

"She will _kill_ this hostage of yours and won't give it a second thought."

"You don't seem too concerned about what she'll do to you."

Hideki sighed. "She wants me to fix her, and I don't know that I can. If she thinks I can't help her, she'll have no use for me or for Codey."

"When I went up there to present our deal, she was surprised and shocked. She said, 'Papa? You have Papa? Where is he? I want to see him!' She was excited; she was enthralled by even the idea that you were near. When I told her the terms of our agreement, she agreed without hesitation. She may be a murderer, a monstrosity, but she's also a little girl, and you are her father."

"I'm no one's father," Hideki said. "Not anymore."

Sim's gaze bored into him. "You can't disown her. You can't disown Codey, either. You have a responsibility to both of them."

"You think I don't feel responsible?" he snapped. "You think I don't feel every life that she takes, every voice she snuffs out? She may do the deeds, but that's blood on _my_ hands, and it doesn't wash off. You have no right to accost me for how I cope with that. What do _you_ know about what it's like to be responsible?"

"So this is what you do, then," Sim said. "You absolve yourself of guilt; you claim you're not their father, but you _are_. There are two lives riding on you walking into that hotel and facing _your daughter_. That's what I need you to do, Nakamura Hideki. Don't let them die because you were too afraid, too guilt-ridden, too ashamed of what you've done or not done to face her again. Walk into that building and tell your daughter you want to help her. Tell her you will fix her even if you don't know you can. Tell her so those two girls in there won't die because of her or die with her. Do it, Nakamura! Do it now!"

Hideki stuffed the PET in his coat pocket. "Your speeches are meaningless. They won't work on me."

"Then do it for your son."

_My…son?_ "Codey?"

"Even he's afraid he'll become something like Imi. I could bring him back to your PET right now, and you could both go away, disappear into the darkness, but you have a chance right here to show him you're strong, that you're not too fearful to face Imi, to own up to the mistakes you've made. Go up there because he's your son, because you love him and he loves you. Go now and show him that love."

Hideki folded his arms. This Sim—who gave her permission to meddle in matters of his life, his family? Here she was, telling him how he should treat his _navis_ (not his son, not his daughter) like she knew them. It was bold of her, certainly. Of course, she thought everything was riding on him. _Two lives. That's what she said._

But it was more than two, wasn't it? There was Codey, too, and this Sim. Death affects more than just the victim; everyone around them suffers and grieves, in their own way and time. When Masuyo passed on, Hideki grieved, and so did Imi. Perhaps that's what shaped her—Masuyo's death, that is. She had to find some way to mourn, and she didn't know how, so she did the one thing she was programmed to do.

"_I'll always be with you, Papa. I'll always smile."_

And who could blame her for carrying out the instructions of her code? We all have instructions, drives, motivations. Imi's was to mimic, Codey's was to decipher, but while their purposes molded them, they didn't define who they were. That was Hideki's purpose—to guide them, if not as a parent then as a creator.

_I may have failed in that purpose for Imi, but I won't fail Codey now. Not again. Never again._

"You talked to Codey, didn't you?" he said.

"Yes."

"He's a good boy, isn't he."

"He loves you."

"He doesn't know any better."

"That doesn't make it any less true."

Hideki nodded. "Good point." He rubbed the gravel between his fingers, cast the grit to the ground, and marched into the open.

_Codey, Imi…I'm here._

—

The ragged scientist blazed past the police line and dashed for the hotel entrance.

"Nakamura-hakase!" Enzan trotted from the command tent. "Stop him!" he commanded the officers. "Capture him if you can!"

"Enzan-sama," said Blues, "you have a call."

"You think I want to take a call now?"

"My papa's coming, Enzan-san."

Enzan sputtered in his tracks. "Echo."

"My papa's coming," Imi said. She shut the sliding door behind her and peered over the balcony. "He's coming, and you won't stop him. I won't let you."

Clumps of earth and foliage erupted through the sidewalk, the street. Imi called on Mazeman's power and summoned a labyrinth around her father. Policemen batted the maze wall with their batons, but though the dirt crumbled and fell, Hideki sped by and left the revolving entrance door spinning in his wake, and to top it all off, Imi hurled a fireball onto the lobby turnaround, repelling the last remnants of the Net Police.

"He's gone, Enzan." Netto rested his hand on the boy's shoulder. "There was nothing more we could've done."

Enzan brushed him aside. "You know why this happened? Sim, that's why. Now Echo has her father, and we have nothing, no leverage to save Sakurai. How does that make you feel?"

"I did what I had to do."

Sim materialized over Enzan's shoulder.

"Now Imi will trade Meiru for Nakamura," she said, "and Nakamura can save Roll from her mind."

As the fire melted the lobby's glass windows, Nakamura Hideki jammed the up button on the elevator, and the steel doors closed about him.

"You hope," said Enzan. "That's all we can do now—hope."

—

The spray of fire hoses glittered in the midday sun, but the spectacle shrank below Nakamura Hideki. The lift carried him high into the sky and dinged rhythmically as it passed each floor. Ding two three four, ding two three four. It was the skeletal frame of a masterpiece.

_But is it a song of triumph or a sad lament? _Hideki tapped his foot on the floor. _This could be bad; this could be very, very bad._

Ding and two and three and four and ding and two and three and four and…

_Then again, if Imi really thinks of me as a father, then she should obey me. Maybe that's what I needed to do all this time: rather than run from her, treat her like a—_

Like a daughter.

He tugged on his collar. _I hope this works._

Sim materialized before him, projected from Codey's PET. "The Net Saviors will wait outside. Are you ready?"

"No."

Three and four and ding! Floor 31.

He crept from the lift. "Here goes."

The hall was stunningly quiet and showed not a sign of Imi's presence. The lights were out, but sunlight poked through square windows beside the elevator shaft.

"It's Room 14, just ahead," said Sim.

So it was—the only room from which light poked under the door…

…because there was no door at all.

"You might want to knock."

_I might not._ All the same, he raised his wrist and tapped his knuckles on the splintered doorframe.

Knock-knock!

"Imi!" he called out. "It's me; it's Pa—" He shuddered. "It's me," he said, peering into the doorway.

Before a knot of tangled vines, Imi gazed at him. "Papa! You—you look terrible, Papa!"

He chuckled. "I know." He stepped inside. "Is Codey here?"

Imi held up Meiru's PET. "I'm here, Papa!" said Codey.

"Come back home now," Hideki said. "Your work is done today."

"Are you mad?" asked the boy. "I didn't do what you told me to. I didn't—"

"I'm not mad," said the father. "I promise."

Codey nodded, and in an instant, he was back in his own PET, beside Sim. "Imi," she said, "we had an arrangement."

"Arrangement?" said Hideki. "What arrangement?"

"I need to know if Papa can help me first," said Imi. "I can't give up Meiru-san without knowing that."

"What is this arrangement?" Hideki demanded. "Sim?"

"A trade," she explained. "You for Meiru."

The web of vines bulged. A hand snaked through a gap and pulled, but it was quickly buried again.

Hideki cringed. "She's…in there? How long have you been doing this, Imi? Are you—" He shook his head. This was no time for questions. This was a time to be firm. "Let her go," he said.

"Does this mean you'll fix me, Papa?" she said.

"I don't know if I can."

"But, but…I need to have some way to make Roll-san silent!" she babbled. "If you can't help me, then Meiru-san has to stay. It's the only way!"

"If she stays, it's only for you to kill her," Sim said. "That's not acceptable."

Imi glared. "Do you think you can stop me?"

_No, this is wrong. I didn't come here for Imi to slaughter more people._ "Imi," Hideki said, "let the girl go."

"But Papa—"

"Imi, if you call me your father, you'll do what I say! Let the girl go, now!"

She backpedaled. Her jaw hung open; her eyes darted.

_She's not used to this, to someone telling her what to do. She wants to obey, but she doesn't know if it's good for her._

"Papa," she protested, "can't we—"

"_Now_, Imi."

She flinched. Her heels clapped together. She bowed her head and buried her hands in her skirt. "Yes, Papa."

The vines unfurled and unwrapped, like the many layers of an artichoke, but at the mass's heart, a girl's soft pink flesh was reddened with friction burns and tinged with blood from prickly thorns. As Imi released her, she sagged, weak on her feet, and tilted…tumbled…

"I've got you." Hideki caught Meiru in his arms. "Don't worry; I've got you. You're safe now."

She looked about, puzzled and dazed. "Why? Why did she let me go?"

"That's the deal," said Hideki. "To trade you for me."

Her gaze drifted. Whether she fully understood his words was unclear. She pressed her hand against her head and smoothed her hair—her dark, deep red hair…

"No."

Hideki gawked. "Excuse me?"

She picked herself up. "I'm not leaving."

"But that's the deal!" Hideki said. "Get yourself to safety; you'd have to be crazy to stay here."

"Meiru, Netto and Rockman are waiting for you at street level," Sim said. "You should hurry."

Meiru hesitated. "Netto…" But she shook her head and pushed all thought of him out of her mind. "No, I'm not leaving."

She stared at Imi.

"Not without Roll."

**5**

"I admit," Sim said, "I may have made a mistake."

A new wave of police officers gathered with body armor and riot shields. They crouched to one knee and pointed their rifles at the torched lobby and the balcony above, 31 stories high.

_They can wear all the armor and bring all the weapons they like. _We're_ the only ones who can stop Echo now._ Enzan shook his head. "This is not just a mistake. Now Echo has Sakurai _and_ her father. This isn't very good at all."

"I'm sorry. I'd only intended…for Rockman—"

"You don't have to apologize, Sim-chan," said Rockman. "You were trying hard; we know that."

_It makes no difference if she's sorry or not. It doesn't undo this situation. It doesn't erase her mistake._

"I'll keep watch from Nakamura's PET," said Sim. "Maybe there'll be a chance…"

Enzan folded his arms and gazed up the height of the Chandler Hotel.

_I hope _maybe_ is good enough now. This business with Echo—it needs to end. And soon, too._

Netto and Rockman stared into the sky with him.

_Some things can't be contained forever._

—

"I'm not leaving," Meiru said. "Not without Roll."

_No, Meiru-chan! You should leave! Get away before Imi-chan hurts you!_

Imi clenched her fist. _'Roll-san—'_

"That's not the deal!" said Hideki. "You have to leave; you can't stick around and let her kill you! Sim, tell her. Sim? Oh fine, where did you run off to now…?"

"Papa," said Codey, "I don't like it here. Can we go?"

"Not now, Codey, we have to—hey, what are you doing?"

"Roll, you're still in there, aren't you?" Meiru crouched before Imi. "Aren't you, Roll?"

_You can't stay for me, though. I couldn't stop her before._

Imi recoiled from Meiru's touch. "We can't live like this," she said. "We can't live like this!"

"You did it to yourself!" said Meiru. "You touched Roll; now it's only fair that she make your life miserable!"

_Meiru-chan, don't say that! I know you're angry, but you don't want to aggravate her!_

But aggravate Imi she did. "It's not my fault!" said the navi. "Roll-san tried to tell me to give up on Papa. She didn't understand. She thought because Rockman-san broke her heart she knew what it was like, but she didn't. She couldn't."

"She loved Rockman more than you could ever know!" said Meiru.

Imi shot her a look and wiggled her fingers. "_Really_?"

"Look into her mind then!" Meiru shot back. "Or do whatever it is you do. She loved him, and I know because I saw how it devastated her when he ran away, but instead of destroying everything around her, she tried to move on. I don't know if I could be that strong."

_I wasn't strong. I just didn't know what else to do._

"She was foolish," said Imi. "She was weak."

"She was strong! She had the strength to accept reality, but you—you keep killing people to be with your father."

_What is she doing? Why is she pushing Imi-chan?_

'_She's giving you an opening,'_ said Masuyo.

"Well now he's here," said Meiru. "Do you think he likes what you've done with the world?"

There it was. The hint of doubt. Imi looked to her father, but his expression was one of concern and intensity, not the compassion she hoped would be there. Without that support blanket, she had only one thing to say: her last line of defense.

"Be quiet."

"You think he approves of how you ran Egami-san through with a sword or how you obliterated Roll?"

"Be quiet!"

"No!" Meiru stomped on the floor and towered over Imi. "Roll is fighting you. I was there; I saw it. You're losing control; now give her back!"

Imi froze her with a red glare. "BE QUIET!"

Ka-pam! A shockwave splintered the bed and punched through the wall, exposing the adjoining room. Meiru scampered from the debris to Hideki's side, and Imi curled her fingers.

"Move, Papa. I'm not finished with her."

"No, Imi."

"Move!"

"That's enough!" he roared. "I didn't come here to see you murder someone else!"

"Did you hear the things she said to me? She has no right!"

"And you have no right to kill!" said Hideki. "Not for this."

She babbled, at a loss. "You wouldn't help me! I did what I thought would make her go away!"

"You should _know_ better. Haven't I taught you better? Didn't Masuyo teach you better?"

"I'm a good girl, though!" said Imi. She looked to the PET in his hands. "Tell him, Codey-kun! Tell him how nice I was to you."

"You left me, onee-san," said the boy. "You left me with the strangers, and they put me in a cage. I didn't like it there, but you left me, so you could find someone else to hurt."

She staggered. "No! Not you too, Codey-kun!"

"You used him, Imi," said Hideki. "You used him to get to me and Sakurai-chan. If you need to feel redemption, then you must understand—what you've done is _wrong_, Imi. It's wrong, and you know it!"

"No!"

But cold, stony gazes withered her. Her father, Hideki, was stern and forceful. Her victim, Meiru, was angered and enraged. Her brother, Codey, was aloof and shamed, and in the choir hall, her antagonist, Roll, was determined and deliberate.

'_Goodbye, Imi-chan.'_

A thousand shadowy claws—dismembered and disembodied—clutched and shredded her. For once, their despair could be her own; the lost souls of the choir imprisoned her in their rage and suffering. Though she beat and hammered on the cage, it would hold…for now.

And elsewhere…

"Roll?"

She opened her eyes, and they responded. They heeded her! For the first time in two months—eyes that would obey her. That in itself was enough to bring forth a tear…

…as if the sight of her operator—her friend—were inadequate to the task.

"Meiru-ch—"

She covered her mouth. What was that sound? Whose voice was that? She inched her hands before her face, but the gloves were not white like she was used to seeing, like Imi's would be and should be.

They were pink.

She rose to her feet. Already this was wrong: she was taller, higher than Imi should be. Not as tall as Nakamura, but tall enough to guess, tall enough to think, just maybe…

She hurried to the washroom and flipped on the light.

"It can't be…"

But the curious, puzzled reflection in the mirror was perfect in every way, exactly as she remembered. Two yellow antennae bowed around her head, and a red heart on yellow background formed an emblem on her chest.

"It's me," she said. "I'm alive."

—

"Roll has taken control of Imi's body," Sim said. "Go, quickly!"

The three Net Saviors wasted not a second in responding. They dashed for the lobby and into the elevator. Enzan called Headquarters to ready the dimensional area generators, and Raoul brushed soot and charring from a burnt but intact synchro chip.

The elevator climbed, however, with the brothers Hikari in silent conversation.

_If Roll-chan's taken Imi-chan's body…_

'_It means she really is in there,'_ Netto said. _'She's not just something Echo imagines.'_

_Do you think we can save her, Netto-kun? Maybe with Papa's help or Nakamura-hakase's?_

'_I hope so.'_

Hope was good. More than that, if Roll had the will to command Imi's short little body, hope was strong indeed.

'_If she stays in control for a while, you could talk to her.'_

_Not while you're in cross fusion, though._

'_Ah, that's right.'_

Rockman smiled. It was nice of Netto to think of that, but there were pragmatic issues to contend with: should Roll lose control, they needed to be battle-ready for Imi. Even the precious few seconds needed to enter cross fusion could cost them dearly—it made Raoul vulnerable, anyway, earlier in the day, when Imi attacked him before he could slot-in the chip.

'_There's another option, isn't there?'_

Rockman balked. _Really?_

'_If Echo regains control from Roll, we could have a big battle on our hands.'_

_I don't want to hurt Roll-chan, even if she _is_ in Imi-chan's body._

'_But if it comes to it, we need to be at our best.'_

_And if it doesn't?_

'_Then you can talk to her, if only for a little while.'_

_I won't know how to repay you._

'_That's what brothers are for.'_

And if there were a more loyal, dependable brother in the world than Netto, Rockman knew not who that could be.

'_I'll be here, nii-san.'_

_Thank you, Netto-kun._

Netto closed his eyes.

"We're almost there," said Enzan. "Are you ready, Netto?"

"_Un,"_ he stammered. "I'm ready."

Enzan eyed him briefly and continued to do so as he pressed the button on the PET. "Sim, how do we look?"

"Roll's still in control. She hasn't gone anywhere."

"Good. Headquarters, launch the dimensional area."

Rainbow hues poured into the glass elevator. "This is our chance," said Raoul, "to stop Echo once and for all. Synchro Chip, slot-in!"

"_Aa,"_ Enzan said. "Synchro Chip, slot-in!"

Without any fanfare, Netto calmly slid his chip into his PET as well. Their transformation bathed the cabin in hot white light, and they emerged with their navis' armor and weapons—with Blues's visor and Thunderman's spike—but instead of Rockman's natural deep blue for his boots and gloves, Netto's hands and feet glowed with the color of the sky, and Rockman's stripes shimmered and glittered.

Enzan gawked. "Netto, how…? Are you able to control it now?"

"It took some effort," he said. "Shall we go?"

He didn't wait for an answer; Netto strode from the lift, leaving Enzan and Raoul behind.

"What is this, Enzan?" said Raoul. "What is this power Netto has?"

"I'm not sure," Enzan said. "I'm not sure at all."

—

"I'm alive."

And it was startling enough to hear herself say that, for it was in her own voice—not Imi's. For weeks, her perceptions hadn't been her own. Now, to be in control of a body, _her_ body…

…she relished it.

"Roll!" Meiru rushed toward her with outstretched arms.

'_DON'T TOUCH ME!'_ Imi's scream thundered in Roll's mind.

"Stop!"

Meiru halted. "What's wrong?"

"I'm still Imi-chan," Roll said. "You can't touch me, or you'll touch _her_, too."

"What does that matter?" said Meiru. "You've beaten her, Roll! You've won!"

'_You haven't won anything yet.'_

Indeed, this strange reversal of fortunes was _more_ disconcerting. Now, instead of being a disembodied voice in Imi's mind, Roll was the one who had to contend with ghosts and phantoms. Imi's presence, though defeated, was powerful, and the choir of souls whispered in the background, ready to shout if the moment amused them.

"I haven't won," Roll said. "Imi-chan's still here, except now _she's_ the one inside _me_."

"This is bizarre." Hideki shook his head and wiped his brow. "None of this was ever supposed to happen. First the minds of navis inside Imi and now Imi inside you?" He scoffed. "If I didn't see it myself, I'd hardly believe it."

"Can't you help her, oji-san?" said Meiru. "Can't you separate them somehow, so I could have Roll back?"

He shrugged. "I wouldn't know where to begin. I'm sorry."

'_That's a lie! Papa must know how to fix me. He created me; he has to know!'_

Roll's fingers twitched. They curled and relaxed for a moment.

_Like Imi-chan when she did the Mach Burst. It means—_

'_You're losing control, Roll-san.'_

The choir mumbled and stirred. Clearly, something of interest had caught their attention.

_She's right. I can't hold out like this forever._

'_Not forever,'_ Masuyo said. _'But long enough to end this.'_

'_No, Masuyo-chan, you can't!'_ said Imi. _'Don't say that!'_

'_You have control, Roll,'_ said Masuyo. _'Use it. End this madness once and for all!'_

'_NO!'_

A strange, multi-colored aura flooded the room. Outside, beyond the balcony, a dome with hexagonal tiles covered the hotel.

"A dimensional area," Meiru said. "Netto's coming."

_Netto-san and Rockman—they wouldn't hesitate._

'_You can't do this, Roll-san!'_ said Imi._ 'Think about what will happen to you!'_

She smiled. _I already died once. Now I'll be able to rest for good._

'_But what about Rockman-san? You still haven't found out what happened to him.'_

She gasped. _That's right, but…Meiru-chan knows._ "Meiru-chan!"

"What is it?" The redhead stood beside her at the sliding door. "What's the matter?"

Roll frowned. "You're different, Meiru-chan."

Meiru cleaned some of the tatters from her skirt and brushed her hair from her face. The scuffs and bruises from Imi's assault still showed, however. "What do you mean?"

"You're stronger, I think," said Roll. "I remember an operator who had good intentions but might panic if there was trouble."

"I didn't panic!"

"You did! You'd go to Netto-san and have him fix things, whether it was Asteroid navis or a simple virus attack."

"I did _not_ panic…much."

Roll giggled. "Meiru-chan, I'm proud of you. When Imi-chan had you cornered, you didn't back down. That's something you should be happy for."

"Thank…thanks," Meiru said. The tears flowed freely, and she made no effort to wipe them away. "Oh, Roll, I've missed you so much. I still have your PET, see?" She held up the case. "I couldn't leave it behind, not with Netto gone too."

She kept the PET, too…

_Meiru-chan, I'm so sorry. It was hard enough to leave you once; now I'm getting your hopes up just to leave you again._ She shook her head. _But I have to do it; not just for you but for everyone. If I can't be separated from Imi-chan, she's going to take control again soon. I can't let that happen. I have to stop it now._

But there was one thing to resolve first.

"Meiru-chan," Roll said, "what happened to Netto-san and Rockman?"

The girl, her operator, cringed. "Can't we talk about that later?"

"There isn't much time," Roll said.

"I don't understand. You've taken control from Imi; how much—"

"She's going to take it back soon."

Meiru sobbed. She choked on the word, the only word she could say, and it came out as a shrill shriek.

"WHAT?"

"I have a plan," Roll said. "Masuyo-san and I have a plan, but there's something I want to know first. Can you tell me, Meiru-chan?"

She nodded.

"What happened to Netto-san and Rockman? Why did they disappear for these two months?"

"It's Rockman—he's gone insane."

"Insane?"

"With sadness and guilt," Meiru said. "He blames himself for your death, Roll."

"He blames…himself?" Conflicting emotions bubbled within her. "Well, he _should_ blame himself! If he hadn't been too dumb or too dense to notice all this time, we could've been happy, you know!"

"He made that navi Sim to practice his revenge on Imi," Meiru said. "He cut her up and beat her to the brink of deletion dozens of times because of his anger."

Roll stared, aghast. "That's not Rockman," she said. "That's not—"

"And he did other things to her, too," said Meiru. "He took her on dates."

"On _dates_?"

"And he kissed her."

_He…kissed…_

"I don't think he meant to." Sim disappeared from Hideki's PET and materialized in the dimensional area at full size. She tiptoed to the window by Meiru and Roll. "I think he wanted me to be you," she told Roll. "He created me, so I didn't know it at first, but…he's broken without you, Roll. Every time he talked about you, I saw it in his eyes. I started using this…" The Roll Arrow apparatus engulfed Sim's hand. "…because in battle, the sight of it paralyzed him, like he thought _you_ were the one holding it, and he couldn't lift a finger against you. He loves you; I'm sure of it. It's just sad that it took your death for him to realize it."

_It took my death…for him…_

"What is this?" R Rockman sat poised at the doorway with his trusty Rockbuster.

"Netto!" Meiru cried. "You…what did you do with Rockman?"

The bright blue shades and shimmering glow may have confused Meiru, but Roll remembered them. _When Imi-chan fought Netto-san at the train station—he looked like that too._

"It can't be," he said. He locked eyes with Roll, and panic and fear swelled beneath his pupils. He lowered his buster to his side. "It can't be," he said again. "Nobody told me you were—"

"Netto, what's wrong?" said Enzan, filing in behind him. "What's—" He spotted Roll. "Oh."

"I told you she was in control!" said Sim.

"You didn't tell us she would look like herself, too!" said Enzan.

"I didn't think this was possible," said Raoul.

"It's Echo's power," said Enzan, "except Roll's using it now."

'_That's right, Enzan-san. It's _my_ power, and Roll-san can't control it for much longer, can you, Roll-san?'_

Her hand wobbled and flickered. Whether it was still pink or off-white…Roll couldn't tell.

_I need to act now, before Imi-chan takes back her body._

She stepped forward.

"Roll?" said Meiru. "What are you doing?"

There was only one person who could do this. "Rock—" The name pained her mouth, like a bee sting on her tongue. "Netto-san," she said, "I'm in control of Imi-chan's body, but I won't be soon."

Netto stared, utterly transfixed, but his gaze followed her approach.

"Whether I'm in control or Imi-chan is, we both hear things. We hear each other, and it hurts. We can't live that way. It needs to stop here."

She stopped right before Netto, so she could look him straight in the eye.

"I need you to kill me."

His eyebrows shot up.

"What?" Meiru ran to her side. "No, Roll—you can't! You were dead, and now you're alive! You can't die again!"

"It's the only way," Roll said. "I know Rockman wants his revenge on Imi-chan. This should make him happy." She laughed at herself. "I always wanted Rockman to be happy."

"If you let Rockman kill you, he'll have nothing left!" said Sim. "That's the one thing I've been hoping to avoid!"

"He'll still have something," Roll said, "because I forgive him. Do you hear me, Rockman? I forgive you. I know you must be arguing with Netto-san now about what to do, but don't. Please. Let me go now. Let me—"

Netto's arm reached for her.

'_Don't touch me!'_

Roll ducked and backed away, on Imi's instinct. "Why would you do that, Netto-san?"

It was only then she realized he was crying. He must've been crying for a while now; the tears streaked down his faceguard and plopped on his boots. His hand dangled in mid-air, empty and alone, but he stared at her, eyes wide open, even as the tears streamed from the corners.

_Netto-san shouldn't react like this. He only knows me through Meiru-chan and—_

She stiffened. "Rockman?"

He raised the Rockbuster again and leveled it on her.

"No, Netto, don't!" Meiru said, leaping on the barrel. "Don't do it—ah!"

He shoved her away, and she stumbled into Hideki. She shot him a long, wounded look, but Netto's dead-ahead stare held firm. Pink and purple light glimmered inside the barrel of the buster.

"I love you," he said. "I love you, Roll-chan."

'_NO!'_

PEW!

**6**

"I made a mistake."

In a large block of chairs, with ample cup-holders and magazines, Netto sat back and watched the television. He ignored the men and women who walked by with charts and stethoscopes. Until one of them decided to talk to _him_, he was content to watch and wait.

"This business with Imi," Sim said, "had taken a toll on everyone, hasn't it?"

On the screen, a hotel room 31 stories high exploded, and bricks of sandstone and cement showered on the street below. The camera zoomed in on the source, however, and a petite girl in a white blouse and skirt held her gut and peered through the breach. Her hemorrhaged data drifted into the air, and when she released her hand, the blue blocks gushed. She staggered away from the broken wall and was not seen in the shot again.

"I can't fix all these problems by myself. I see that now. I tried to do too much."

Instead of the girl in white, a boy appeared in the hole. He didn't shimmer or shine, but leapt, all the same, from 31 stories above the ground. A jet pack on his back slowed his descent, which was sorely necessary, for the cargo he brought with him was delicate indeed.

"Help me!" the boy cried. "We need an ambulance! We need help!" He moved red strands of hair out of the way and dabbed the blood from a girl's forehead. The dimensional area fell. He carried her himself to the stretcher and rode with her in the ambulance, holding her hand between his own.

"This ordeal with Imi can destroy a person, though," Sim said, "even if they don't die. That's what I was afraid of, Rockman. That she would destroy you and leave you an empty shell."

The boy walked with the stretcher as the medics wheeled her into the hospital. When they reached the lift, however, the doctor told him there was no room. "We'll do everything we can, though," he said, waving the boy away. "I promise."

The lift doors closed, however, and he'd yet to see her again.

"I've only been alive for a few weeks, though. Fighting Imi can't be the only thing I do with my life, and…I know there are some things you must do alone."

She kissed the elder Hikari on the cheek.

"I wish you well," she said. "I only wish there were more I could do to help you, in battle or in…other things, but I know what you need now. I know what you need more than anything."

Rockman looked back at her with a blank look.

"I'm not Roll," she said, "nor could I ever be. Goodbye." And with that, she left for parts unknown.

'_Roll-chan…'_

"Mr. Hikari?" A nurse stood before Netto with a folder in her hands. "Ms. Sakurai is resting in her room now. Dr. Lewis says it's lucky she was hit with a blunt object and not—"

"Can I see her?"

The nurse smiled. "She's still under sedation for an hour or two, but you're welcome to keep her company. She's in room 328, on this floor."

Netto leapt from the chair and dashed down the halls.

"Hey! No running; this is a hospital!"

"322, 324…" She was close, and it wasn't just the numbers that told him that. He felt it. Even if he didn't know where she was, he could find her. It was instinct.

"326, 328!"

She lay still, oblivious to his presence and safely off in dreamland. A cloth bandage wrapped around her head and bound the wound, but if not for this single flaw, she was pristine.

She was beautiful.

Netto dragged a chair to the bedside. "I'm sorry, Meiru."

The redhead was silent.

"I didn't think this would happen. If I'd known you'd get hurt, I never would've—"

He stopped. It was more than a little tough to explain why he'd given up his body to his brother, regardless of the reasons.

"We couldn't have known," said Rockman, "that Roll-chan would ask you—ask _me_—to kill her."

"Or that Echo would come back and defend herself," said Netto.

"Roll-chan knew. She asked me to do it, and I hesitated. I waited too long."

"Echo would've returned anyway."

"Maybe. Either way, she's still out there."

"Echo?"

"Roll-chan." Rockman swallowed. "And she asked me to do something for her."

"Nii-san—"

Knock-knock.

"You know, she looked happy," Rockman said. "Don't you think, Netto-kun?"

_You mean it hurts you because she looked happier dead than alive._ Netto shook his head and turned the doorknob. _I don't know what we can do, nii-san. I really don't._

'_Roll-chan told me what to do. That's all there is to it.'_

"Ah, Netto!" Raoul smiled. "I didn't know you'd be here already."

"I got here as soon as the nurse told me where Meiru was."

"I'm glad she seems all right," said Raoul. "I was just coming to drop this off."

He handed Netto a battered pink and white case with a heart icon on the button.

"It was found in the debris of the room," Raoul explained.

"Has there been any sign of Echo or Nakamura-hakase?"

"Not yet, but we're working on it. I wouldn't worry about it, though. You can stay here."

"Thank you, Raoul," Netto said. "See you later."

"Bye."

The door closed.

"Meiru's PET, huh?" Netto mused. He ran his fingernail over the surface, and it caught on a hairline crack in the case—nothing major, but it reinforced the notion that this tiny box had been through a lot, even though it hadn't been long since Enzan's company released the model.

'_It's been through too much.'_

Netto set the PET between Meiru's fingers, square on her chest. Indeed, he was eager to let go of it, for trepidation and anxiety brewed within him every second he touched it. They were feelings of dread and panic that weren't his own.

'_Let's go, Netto-kun.'_ Rockman stared at the PET, which rose and fell as Meiru breathed. _'I don't want to be here.'_

_I won't leave her again._

'_Please! I-I don't want to be here. I can connect to Roll-chan's PET, but there's nothing there! It's just empty and quiet, but it's not like she's really gone because she's out there somewhere, in Imi-chan.'_

_I know it's hard, but—_

'_We should go home! We should train some more until Imi-chan shows herself. Then we can fulfill Roll-chan's wishes, see?'_

_Nii-san—_

The blue navi vanished from his brother's shoulder.

'_I failed Roll-chan today. That means we've not been training hard enough, and with Sim-chan gone too…'_

Netto yanked the PET from his shoulder strap, but he knew better than to look within. Rockman was already on the way back home. The link told him everything.

"Forgive me, Meiru," he said. "I need to go, before Rockman—"

Once again, he found it difficult to explain to her sleeping form, so he left the room instead and inched the door shut.

—

"_Forgive me, Meiru. Forgive me!"_

"Netto!" Sakurai Meiru sprang to life. "Netto, are you here?"

He head pounded, but not as fast or intense as her heart. The desolate room, with only artificial lights to blind her and a single, empty chair beside her, taunted and mocked her.

"He's gone," she said. "He's gone again."

The incident flooded her memory: Netto prepared a Charge Shot, but Roll succumbed to Imi's will. Back to her old self, Imi erected a Dream Aura to protect herself. The brunt of the attack scattered off the shield, but a substantial portion penetrated and wounded her. The reflected portions wrought havoc on the room itself. The balcony door shattered, half of the ceiling caved, and somewhere, perhaps in the corner of her eye, Meiru spotted a spinning piece of pipe. It tumbled toward her; it loomed larger and larger until…

THUNK!

Two drops of blood splashed on her palm, and then it all went black.

But there was a voice.

"Meiru? Can you hear me, Meiru?"

Meiru sat up in her hospital bed and closed her eyes. "I heard you, Netto. I just wish you were here now. I wish—"

Something cold and metal touched her skin.

"Roll? Is that—"

The screen was green and barren, like it always was.

"She must've escaped," Meiru said. "Imi…and Roll."

She hopped out of bed, and though woozy on her feet, she peeked between the blinds of her window. Darkness reigned, broken only by the glow of streetlamps.

_How long have I been here if it's already night?_

That was the wrong question.

_How far can Roll and Imi be by now?_

That was a better question.

She turned on the pop-up holo-screen and hit the first number on speed dial. _I know what I have to do now._

"Meiru-chan?" Ayanokouji Yaito gasped in amazement. "I heard you were hurt; it's been all over the news. Are you all right?"

Meiru scratched at her bandage. "I think I'm okay," she said. "I don't have any clothes, though, just this hospital gown. Everything was lost in the explosion. I guess I'm lucky to be alive."

"Netto saved you."

"He did?"

"He carried you himself and jumped out of the hotel."

Meiru glanced at the door. "Then why isn't he here…?"

"Wait for him; maybe he'll come back."

That was wrong. If he was going to be there, he'd be there already. Without a note, without _someone_ to tell Meiru what happened…"No," Meiru said. "He's gone. We can't worry about Netto now anyway. There's something more important."

"What's that?"

Meiru smiled and hugged the PET against her chest. "Roll's alive."

—

A crowd of investigators and officers scoured the hospital room.

"We think she left in a limousine."

"I _know_ she left in a limousine." Enzan ran his hand over the unmade bed. "It's cold," he said. "It's as cold as the room." He shook his head and left the room, wandering down the hall. He passed the waiting room, but while the television continued to cover the aftermath of the attack that afternoon, there was no sign of Netto or Meiru.

"Both of them gone," he said. "It's happening all over again."

Perhaps he should've been more paranoid; after all, he could've posted guards on the door, at the hospital gate…. It just boggled the mind. After the lengths Netto went to in order to save Meiru—for him to abandon her like this was sheer nonsense. And for her to run away in response—again, nonsense. Enzan rode home in his limo, more convinced than ever that the world around him had gone completely mad.

"And there's not a thing we can do about it, either, is there, Blues?"

"Enzan-sama, I have a letter addressed to you," said the navi. "It's from Sim."

Enzan sighed. No doubt more insanity was waiting for him. "Paraphrase it for me."

"She says she owes you an explanation, that she apologizes for her mistakes and errors in judgment, that she understands you've been under pressure and stress…"

"I don't need her sympathy," Enzan said.

"…she says that you've been missing a piece of information, something that's very important." Blues looked up, puzzled. "She says Netto-san and Rockman are brothers."

"Brothers? Is this a joke?"

"She says that they recently learned this and, as a result of trying to bring Rockman back to life as a human—"

"Did she really say this?"

"…the two of them became linked together in their minds. She says it was Rockman's grief over Roll's death that drove them to Ameroupe, that they feel each other's emotions and pain."

Enzan blinked. A stern frown emerged.

"What do you make of it?" asked Blues.

"I don't know," Enzan said. "I don't know yet."

As they rode the lift to his penthouse, Enzan crossed his arms and leaned back. He had no reason to distrust Sim (aside from the outlandish nature of her tale), and if any of it were true…could that explain Netto's behavior? Was it really Rockman's instead? It was hard to fathom, at any rate. This was something he needed to see for himself to fully grasp and understand.

Thus, when he found the door to the training room closed (as he often did), he opened it rather than pass it by.

"Rockman, please!" Netto said. "Stop it!"

A horde of viruses punched and beat Rockman. Mettools clubbed him with their picks, yet the navi dare not put up a fight. He refused to resist, and each blow crippled Netto, too. The boy sagged against the podium, but the repeat attacks failed to silence him.

"Please!" he said. "Please, stop!"

"Netto!" Enzan rushed to his aid. "What's going on?"

"He won't stop," the boy mumbled. "He just wants more punishment. Each new wave—it isn't enough."

"Why don't you plug him out?"

"That would just make it worse! Then he would know that I stopped him. He would know…"

Enzan looked hard at Netto. The boy trembled and shook as his navi—his brother—withstood blow after blow. If Netto couldn't dissuade Rockman from this masochistic exhibition and felt that forcing the issue would only make matters worse…what else could be done?

_This is wrong. More than anything else—anything Echo has done, any murder she's committed—this is _wrong_, and there is no question of it. _Nay, if Netto couldn't act, if he couldn't stop Rockman…

"Then I'll stop him for you." Enzan snatched the PET from him and smashed the plug-out button.

At last, something roused the navi. "Enzan!" said Rockman. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I've had enough of this!" Enzan kicked the pedestal off its bolts. The column fell on its side; the wires at the base frayed and snapped. The projection of the training simulation fizzled out, and the room was quiet.

"It ends now," Enzan said. "No more training, no more secrets, no more lies. Netto, you and I will stop Echo. Tomorrow, we deliver her end."

He marched from the room, unwilling to look back.

_Tomorrow, we stop this madness._


	17. Moments

To my anonymous reviewer: I'd love to elaborate and explain some of the questions you had without necessarily spoiling the story for everyone else. Please feel free to sign up here on FFN or send me an e-mail to the address in my profile.

There is one question I feel comfortable answering, however: this is chapter fourteen of twenty, with an epilogue as "chapter twenty-one," so there's still a ways to go, which is good, for far too many things have been set in motion that cannot be abruptly halted.

At any rate, I now present, after long delay…

**Chapter Fourteen: Moments**

In the olden days, great iron wheels rolled over narrow tracks. The locomotive belched clouds of steam, and the cars behind rocked and bounced along on a rickety joyride. Those were simpler days, when men spurred their horses across grassy prairies or desert sands and holstered six-shot revolvers or bolt-action rifles. The threats against them were easily grasped, even if they were hard to defeat: tribal natives who resisted the encroachment of foreign men on nature's soil, game animals who knew how to defeat the spear or bow but not the bullet. Sometimes man fought against man, perhaps even over whether dark-skinned laborers should be considered men or beasts, free spirits or the property of others, yet even that conflict was simple. Always it had been flesh against flesh, blood against blood. Sometimes the machinery of war got in the way, but guns and trains and daggers—they were mere tools.

It was not until the modern age, when nature gave way to technology, that men had to fight their own creations.

"Is something wrong, Enzan-sama?"

Trees and power lines raced past the window, but Enzan's reflection dominated his view. It was night, it was dark, but above all, it was quiet. The trains of the twenty-first century sped over a cushion of air and magnetic fields. Gone were the rhythmic click-clacks of the train wheels on the track. Now, the ride was silent and smooth.

"I was thinking it'd be better," Enzan said, "if it were noisy."

"We still have three cars to check," Blues said.

"So we do." Enzan lowered a sun shade, blocking the night beyond. He opened the door and braved howling winds. He pushed through the vortex and sealed himself off in the next car.

_It was almost better outside._

A cold, dark car greeted him, but in the center, a faint blue glow lit the room.

"I think we can afford to leave the lights on." Enzan flipped a switch, and overhead bulbs and filaments sparked to life, illuminating four blue, glittering cylinders, each taller than Enzan.

"The dimensional converters appear to be in working order," said Blues.

"It's best to be certain." Enzan fired the PET laser into the plug-in port. "Be thorough, Blues."

"_Hai_, Enzan-sama." The navi disappeared from Enzan's shoulder, and in sequential order, the dimensional converters glowed and dimmed. "The diagnostics are complete," said Blues. "The converters are ready."

"Good." The pair moved on. Once again, Enzan danced over the bare track between cars, the rails that blazed by in a blur and melted into the night. This time, the lights were already on. From a mountain of cardboard boxes, Enzan picked a single stray and ripped it open, slicing the package tape in half.

"Do you think we need more?" asked Blues.

Enzan crumpled plastic wadding in one hand, and in the other, he wielded a pair of small, black boxes, each with an antenna on the side. "If she's coming, I want her to come by foot. There's no such thing as overkill here."

The red navi nodded. "We do have more battle chips, I think."

"You know I have all the chips I need."

"Not for us."

"I think Raoul is content with what he has," said Enzan. "As for Ne—" He stopped. "Let's find out."

Leaving the boxes and crates behind, Enzan leapt across a third gap, this time into a passenger car. Moonlight beamed into the hall, for all the rooms were open and empty.

All but one. Enzan tapped his knuckle on the door. "Netto?" he whispered. "Are you in there?"

Sure enough, the boy in the blue bandana cracked the compartment door and peered outside. "Did something happen?" he asked. "Is Echo here?"

"No," said Enzan. "I just wanted to remind you there are extra battle chips in the storage car."

"Ah, I'd almost forgotten. I should load a few more just in case then." The boy backed away from the door and rummaged through his pockets. He looked back. "Although I'd have to leave…"

"I can watch him for you," Enzan said. "Is he sleeping still?"

"Yeah…" He shrugged. "It's all right," he said. "I might see what chips we have later. I'll stay with him for now."

Enzan nodded. "I'll be just ahead."

"Right."

One last time, Enzan jumped the gap between cars. This time, his rounds were done. There was nothing left to do but watch and wait.

"Aren't you hungry, Enzan?"

In the dining car, Raoul tore open a bag of pretzels and munched on starch and salt. He leaned back in a booth and drummed his fingers on white tablecloth. The raps of his nails on the hard surface beneath carried throughout the car, for the bar, the stools, the circular tables in the middle and the booths by the windows—all were devoid of life.

"You must be starving," he said. "I know you didn't have lunch."

"I'll eat when Echo is dead or captured," Enzan said. "Not before."

"I suppose it's better for us not to fight on a full stomach," Raoul mused, "but not good to do battle on an empty one, either."

Empty. That's what this train was: empty of spirit. Their dark mission devoured that spirit, and now they were the only ones left. That's what took the noise away. Without wheels on the track to roll and screech, the train was without a heartbeat. Without passengers and celebrities to marvel at the night landscape, it was without a soul. It was nothing.

_There's nothing left but what we have to do here, and this may be the last chance._ Enzan sat across from Raoul and stared out the window, but once again, his own reflection dwarfed the view of the night. It was simple physics, of course. The light inside far outweighed the moon's glow, and that was all, yet it seemed fitting that he look outside and see himself.

"She could be here any minute now," Raoul said. "Are you ready?"

"Of course."

He stared at himself in the glass. _Am I ready?_

The car lurched forward. Pretzel sticks spilled onto the floor, and Raoul pushed back on his seat to stay upright. Clearly something was wrong. Perhaps it was Echo, perhaps something else.

And yet, though the scenery beyond slowed and became distinct again, Enzan smiled. "I'm ready."

**1**

"Mr. Hikari, sir?"

Eyes open.

"You need to get ready, sir."

Netto sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. "Ugh, what day is it?" he asked. "What time?"

Sunlight poked through the blinds, lighting the desk and half the bed. As if cued, Rockman awoke from his own slumber. "It's Monday," he told Netto. "In an hour—"

"It'll be day 57."

The elder brother nodded.

Netto lay back, and his skull bumped against the headboard. Then, idly, he turned to examine the strange voice in his bedroom. "Who are you?"

The man, clearly an officer with some police force, carried a cap in his hands. "I'm with the Net Police, sir. Mr. Ijuuin sent me to keep an eye on you."

"Where's Enzan?"

"At Headquarters, getting ready for the press conference."

Netto frowned. _Do you know what he means?_

'_Not at all,'_ said Rockman.

"There's supposed to be a big announcement," said the officer. "He wants you there."

"But why did he go without me?"

"I got called in to show up here at five in the morning, sir. I imagine Mr. Ijuuin's been at Headquarters since then."

'_That's a bit strange even for Enzan, isn't it?'_ said Rockman.

_More than a bit._ Netto shrugged. It wasn't unlike Enzan to work hard. He got called off to keep Imi at bay at all hours of the day and night. Just yesterday his morning must've begun around six or seven, when Imi attacked the transport ministry, and goodness knew it hadn't ended early, either, but that was another matter entirely.

'_I'm sorry, Netto-kun. It's just I…I…'_

He didn't need to explain, for the link told all, yet even with direct access to the memories, Netto found them confused and mangled. When Raoul handed them Meiru's PET, all sense of the outside world shut down. The pink and white box summoned the specter of Roll to haunt Rockman, to remind him of a broken promise. It yelled at him.

It screamed.

And so he fled, back to Enzan's penthouse, but the will to fight escaped him. He drew his buster against the viruses, but they looked like Roll. They spoke with her sweet cadence. They begged him, pleaded with him. They demanded he slay them, but his shots were useless. The bolts bounced off and died in the dirt (did he even fire at all?). And yet somehow, that was fair. He failed the first time. Why should he succeed this time around? Why not let them have their way? If their thrusts and ripostes could drown out her cries and wipe the vision from his mind…why not?

Rockman dangled his legs over the desk's edge and kicked them back and forth. _'I hope this will be over soon,'_ he said. _'I hope we can keep our promise to Roll-chan, and then…'_

_And then what?_

"Um, are you ready to go _now_, Mr. Hikari?" said the officer.

"Ah, no, we'll be a few minutes," said Netto.

"Very good then." The officer slid his lanky frame into the hall and shut the door behind him.

Netto scratched his head. _Something's wrong._ He opened the blinds, but the city streets were packed as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

'_I feel it, too. Today's different.'_

Different yes, but for good or ill…

No matter. Whether for better or worse, it was a welcome change to get dressed and visit the outside world again.

—

Netto and the officer, a young corporal by the name of Calloway, rode to headquarters in one of Enzan's limousines. Rush-hour traffic slowed the going considerably, but there were few other options—at least, not without compromising the secrecy of Netto's whereabouts.

"Still, I hope we can get there in time," said Calloway. "Mr. Ijuuin said he wanted you there before the press conference started."

"What's this conference about, anyway?" asked Netto.

"I can't say."

"Am I supposed to show myself? In public?"

"I don't know."

The limousine crept along a right turn, and the Ameroupan Headquarters came into view, but with an aura of commotion and hubbub not usually seen. Dozens of satellite vans, with their station logos painted on the sides, crowded along the street. On the front steps of the building, policemen assembled several rows of chairs, each ten or fifteen seats long, and at the very top, a boy in a red vest and camouflaged pants tapped on a microphone brushed dust off a podium.

"It looks serious," said Rockman.

"All I know is that this will be a big deal," said Calloway.

A big deal, like exposing Netto's location to the world at large? Not that Netto minded the thought, but people weren't going to accept he'd stayed with Enzan this whole time without asking questions, tough questions. Enzan, of all people, must have known the brutality of the press; he complained about them on a regular basis, though he muttered the reasons and grimaced at the mere mention of reporters. For him to hold a press conference could only mean someone forced him to—perhaps the commissioner—or something big needed to be said.

And if something big were revealing where Netto'd been and what he'd done, how could Netto explain? Would Enzan tell the world that Rockman was human? That he was Netto's brother and they were linked together?

The thought of all these secrets coming out was profoundly unappealing, so much so that Netto clutched his stomach in sickness.

'_I don't think Enzan would do all that without asking us.'_

Maybe not, but then Enzan didn't usually kick over pedestals and break his own battle simulator. "It ends now," he'd said. "No more training, no more secrets, no more lies. Netto, you and I will stop Echo. Tomorrow, we deliver her end." Whether he meant all that literally…who could say?

The limousine circled to the back of the building, comfortably out of sight from any outside observer. "This is where we get off," said Calloway. "Come on."

They entered through a rear door, and a pair of guards—armed not with simple pistols and badges but body armor and assault rifles—greeted them. "Your IDs, gentlemen."

Netto and Calloway produced their PETs, which the guards quickly scanned in.

"What are you doing?" said Rockman. "You can't cut us off from the net like that!"

"New regulation," said one of the guards. "No wireless connections in the building."

Netto looked to Calloway. "Do you know anything about this?"

"I'm afraid I don't."

"You won't get any signal anyway." The second guard held up a small black box. "Signal jammer."

"What's it for?" asked Netto.

"Echo, of course."

"She's been here?"

"She will be."

_What does that mean?_

"We should go, sir," said Calloway.

"Right," said Netto.

They walked the halls. Special weapons officers patrolled the building in teams, and signal jammers hid in the most innocent places: potted plants, doorstops. It was a massive operation in both manpower and resources, and yet neither Netto nor Calloway knew quite what would happen. Everyone they asked said they were ready for Echo to come, but why she should come at all—that was more nebulous.

'_Maybe Enzan has some kind of plan.'_

They rounded the corner to the lobby, and sure enough, Enzan's voice boomed through the glass doors, amplified by the microphone. "These past two months have been difficult," he told the press corps. "The search for Echo has put many lives at risk and cost more than one in the process…"

_Like Egami-san._

'_And Roll-chan.'_

"…but it's with great pride today that I announce a major step in our efforts to apprehend Echo, one that promises to herald her end."

Flashbulbs popped and sparked. Enzan waited for the photo shoot to die down.

"As of last night, Dr. Hideki Nakamura, Echo's creator, is in the custody of the Net Police."

The crowd murmured and whispered. "Mr. Ijuuin, when did this happen?" asked one reporter. "How did you capture Dr. Nakamura?"

"Please, I will answer some questions, but let me finish the statement," said Enzan.

_Strange…Enzan didn't say anything about it last night._

'_We _were_ a little busy with Meiru-chan,'_ said Rockman.

Meiru. To think that she'd left, with the injury she sustained! What if he'd stayed with her? Would she have gone then? Where did she go? Only his brother's madness could compel Netto to leave her side; he carried her himself, down thirty-one stories, to the safety of solid ground, and she was helpless and vulnerable. Yielding control of his actions to Rockman had, despite Netto's intentions, only wounded Meiru.

Perhaps, even, in more ways than one.

"It is our hope," Enzan continued, "that with Dr. Nakamura's support, we will be able to subdue Echo once and for all. The Net Police are committed to the safety of all citizens of the free world, and as such, the capture or deletion of Echo is our highest priority. Now, are there any questions?"

"Mr. Ijuuin, where is Dr. Nakamura now?"

"I'm afraid I can't reveal that information, for his own safety."

Netto frowned. "Do you know?" he asked Calloway.

"This is the first I'd heard of us having Dr. Nakamura in custody," said the officer. "I have no idea."

"Mr. Ijuuin!" said another reporter. "What of Netto Hikari and Meiru Sakurai? Where did they go after the Chandler disaster?"

"I'm afraid we have no knowledge of their whereabouts at this time," said Enzan.

Netto breathed a sigh of relief. At least this press conference wasn't going to be a referendum on his whereabouts, but it troubled him to think that Meiru could disappear—again—with no trace of where she'd gone.

"On what charge is Dr. Nakamura being held?"

"He is under protective custody."

"Then isn't it unwise to tell Echo that the Net Police has him?"

The press corps went dead quiet. All eyes fixed on Enzan and his podium.

"No," said Enzan. "It isn't. Thank you all for your attention." He left the microphone, and an entourage of security and bodyguards escorted him into the building. The remaining reporters shouted questions after him, but he paid them no heed. Instead, he stepped inside and insulated himself from their interrogation. He lay back against the door, wiped his brow, and sighed.

"You look tired, Enzan."

He sprang to life. "Netto?" He looked back. The reporters ascended the steps, with their microphones and notepads and cameras in hand. "We should leave here," he said. "Someone might notice you."

Thus, Enzan was quick to hurry Netto out of sight as the reporters clamored at the lobby doors and uniformed officers held them at bay.

"I'm glad you arrived before I made the announcement," said Enzan. "It would've been difficult for you to get inside without someone thinking you were Nakamura-hakase."

"Is it true?" asked Netto. "We have him? Is he here?"

"I can't say. It's not a matter of trust; if Echo were to touch you…"

Netto nodded. "That makes sense, but still—why tell everyone we have him?"

"It will make Echo show herself."

"You _want_ her to attack?"

"I'm counting on it."

Netto, Enzan, and Calloway rounded a corner, but the first of the three was struck at a loss. "Is that what this is for? All the soldiers, the…the…"

"Signal jammers," said Rockman.

"The last thing we could want is for Echo to pop into the building from cyberspace," said Enzan. "Hikari-hakase theorized that Rush's ability to go from the real world to the cyberoworld and back again was connected to…what was it, Blues?"

"Electromagnetic waves," said his navi. "Based on that research, we ordered thousands of signal jammers. We hoped to blanket the whole city with them."

"Papa came up with this?" said Netto.

'_I guess he's been busy.'_

_I guess…_

"It was an ambitious plan," said Enzan. "Too ambitious. To jam every corner of the city would take weeks, and there was no hope of fully covering every square kilometer of town. No, the city was out of the question; a whole building, however, was within our reach."

"What happens when she comes, though?" said Netto. "How will we stop her?"

"I can stop her, Netto-kun," said Rockman. "_We_ can stop her."

_Nii-san…_

"I hope it doesn't come to that," said Enzan. "A direct confrontation would result in collateral damage and casualties. No, we've been working all night install a weapon that can delete Echo permanently."

"Where is it?" asked Netto.

"Right here."

The three stopped outside a small laboratory, where a pair of guards stood watch and scientists milled about with screwdrivers and goggles.

"Raoul!" called Enzan.

The native Ameroupan leaned into the doorway. "Enzan, Netto. How was the press conference?"

"As well as could be expected," said Enzan. "Can you demonstrate the weapon?"

"Of course." He locked his hands on a heavy duty switch, and—

BUZZ-ZAP! Lightning arced across the room, yet the scientists and technicians inside survived without a scratch (not to say they were pleased about the affair).

"…it didn't do any damage," said Netto.

"The Zapper is only harmful to substantiated programs and navis."

The voice had been hidden within the room, but Netto recognized it immediately. "It couldn't be…"

A tearful Hikari Yuuichirou rose to his feet, dusted himself off, and stood in the doorway. "Hello Netto; hello Saito. Mama and I…have missed you."

**2**

The train glided to a gentle stop, but neither Enzan nor Raoul felt this interruption was innocuous.

"We can't just sit here," said Raoul, cradling a phone between his ear and his shoulder. "How long will it be?" He flinched. He covered the mouthpiece and said to Enzan, "An hour, at least. Power to the tracks ahead has been cut."

"Get to the dimensional converters," said Enzan. "Don't trigger them unless you see something or I say so. I'm going to look outside and investigate."

"Alone?"

"We need to make sure Echo's within the radius of the area before we activate it," said Enzan. "If we don't, she'll be left outside and know it's a trap." With that, Enzan strode to the end of the compartment, hopped onto the joint between the cars, and stepped onto soggy, rocky soil.

"Do you think she's hiding?" said Blues. "Waiting to see how we react?"

"Anything's possible."

Anything was possible, but few things were probable. That Imi refrained from blowing the train off its rails was, perhaps, an indication that she wouldn't risk her father's life, even with a tactically superior surprise attack. Granted, this was something Enzan had banked on, but it was reassuring to know his reasoning was sound.

Squish. The soil sank under his feet and clung to his shoes. A light mist dripped off his face and shrouded the night. Though the train sat idle, the lights hummed, and the magnetic track warbled like a subwoofer. Sight and sound were useless senses in this muck.

"We won't find anything out here," Enzan said. "Better to make her come to us." He lifted his foot—

Squish.

…and it hovered over the ground.

Squish squish squish.

"Enzan-sama—"

"Shh!"

Squish squish squish squish, squish-squish, "Agh!"

Enzan blinded the man, throttling his PET screen to full brightness. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

The man blinked. He wiped mud from his suit and glared at Enzan. "Get him!"

Two goons surprised Enzan from behind. They lifted him by the arms and dragged him off. Blues's PET tumbled and hit the dirt face-down.

"Let me go!" cried Enzan. "Do you have any idea what you're doing? I'm a Net—"

A pair of headlights bored into his skull. Four figures in black stared at him from behind shiny sunglasses, and their compatriots carried him to the vehicle. "You will not be harmed," said one of the goons. "Don't move, and this will all be over soon."

Enzan glared at his captors. Who were these people? Would Imi use humans to do her bidding? It made no sense.

_But whoever they are, they want something, and I'm not going to let them have it._

They lowered him into the back seat.

_Now's my chance._ Enzan planted his foot on the fender and kicked back, sending himself and his two captors tumbling to the mud. He scrambled to his feet and dashed from the scene. "Blues!"

"Here, Enzan-sama!" A faint light glistened off the damp earth.

"I've got you!" He snatched the box and brushed the gunk away as he ran. Just a few hundred feet now; if they could make it back to the train—

"Who were those people?" said Blues.

Enzan looked back, over his shoulder. The six goons approached, unfazed by his escape.

"They want a fight then?" said Enzan. "So be it. Raoul!"

The Ameroupan poked his head out of a car.

"Raise the dimensional area!"

The goons balked, but each stood his ground, for the dimensional area enclosed them. There was nowhere to run.

"I have no time for you people, whoever you are," said Enzan, slotting in his Synchro Chip. "I have Echo to defeat…" He leveled Blues's sword and pointed it forward. "…and you won't stop me."

—

HONK HONK!

"Come on, move!" said Rin Manabe. "Net Police!"

The gridlock of cars rubbed bumpers, but no forward progress could be made. A passenger jet roared overhead. It soared across an overpass, touched down on a runway, and taxied to the terminal, where it parked alongside its cousins.

"It would've been better to take the train, don't you think?" Hikari Haruka gazed out the window and sighed. "It's going to be close."

"I might call the airline, ask them to delay the flight," said Manabe. "Or we could book the next one—"

"Tomorrow." Yuuichirou ran his fingers through his hair. "Unless we stop in three or four cities on the way, wait for an hour or two at each airport, go through customs…"

"Hikari-hakase—"

"I just want to see my son! I just want to see _our sons_."

Haruka squeezed his hand. "I'm sure they're all right."

That was Haruka for you: the consummate optimist, someone who, if she worried, seldom showed it and never let it affect her. But this time, her confidence would well be misplaced. In the weeks since Netto disappeared, Yuuichirou worked around the clock to bring him home. This was a three-pronged strategy, and no one component could be neglected.

_Job 1: Get the word out._ Yuuichirou and Haruka started an awareness blitz to highlight Netto's disappearance in the media. They bought and designed a website, one they shared with Meiru's parents when she vanished as well. The four parents went on talk shows and recounted the best traits of their children, along with the minor flaws that made them human. Haruka gladly spun tales of Netto's voracious appetite and how she could cook plate after plate of spaghetti, only for him to lick it clean and send it back with a shine. Meiru's father recalled her constant practice at the piano and how the house and halls danced with her melodies.

That was the most important thing: to maintain hope. Hope alone, however, wouldn't find Netto or bring him back home. The sightings were sketchy, some of them forged to garner attention. People wanted to be famous; they didn't want Netto to come home, but Yuuichirou had other plans.

_Job 2: Stop Imi._ It was a task he had far too much time to work on. Imi always slipped away, thanks to both Enzan's reluctance to tap the other Cross Fusion Members and the politics that barred the most willing (Laika, in particular) from helping anyway. In truth, the world had changed, even in the few months since the beast Grezar from Beyondard broke the dimensional barrier and invaded Earth, since Duo's Asteroid navis ravaged major cities and Cache archived the data of the entire planet. The Second War, though many decades past, had compelled the Japanese people to reject aggressive wars, but not all nations were so pacifistic. What news Yuuichirou had of the other Members outside Japan was sketchy: the Choinan government was content to let Jasmine grow up in relative peace, but she was still the only native Choinan who could handle Cross Fusion, and that made her a prized commodity. She was too visible to disappear into a military training camp, but it was a good bet her freedom came with a good set of strings, probably tangled and knotted to preclude any escape.

Laika, on the other hand, was already a soldier of Sharo, and as such, he was bound to follow his superiors' assignments and orders. Recent conflicts between Sharo and its neighbors had sparked new tensions in the region, and the allure of a cyber-warrior who could wield the force of ten men and destroy a tank with a single shot was too appealing to waste.

_I never wanted my invention to be used as a weapon of war._ At least an international treaty banning the use of Cross Fusion in warfare was likely…

…to be ignored.

And outside of Laika and Jasmine, the only other foreign Member of prominence was Pride. As Creamland shared a border with Sharo, they were naturally mired in the latter's conflicts, and to make matters worse, dynastic problems in the country pressured the princess to marry quickly, lest there be a feud over the throne. Rumor had it, though, that she'd found none of the suitors within her house a good match. At any rate, domestic affairs kept her occupied, and there was little to be done in the interim.

Beyond those three, Charlie and Tesla had retired to private enterprise. Not that they were unwilling to help (indeed, the Net Police could twist Tesla's arm if they really wanted to), but many in the law enforcement world resisted the notion of Tesla, a known criminal who operated a massive Dark Chip production scheme, being officially involved, even if her reformed image and aid against Duo had earned her a pardon and a reprieve. That left only four: Miyabi and Yuriko were surely off in their war on the criminal underworld, and Dingo and Nenji were the only two Members who could be rapidly mobilized if Imi should return to Japan.

In short, there were problems, but while these delays and intricacies saddened Yuuichirou, they did not deter him. If the Members couldn't be mobilized _en masse_ to stop Imi, then he would find a solution. For months, he'd studied Rush's freak substantiation, and since Imi had copied him to perform the same feat, the findings from that research would apply to her as well. It was from that knowledge that Yuuichirou and Meijin assembled a team, one solely dedicated to the defeat of Imi. They worked in shifts, twelve hours at a time and more, and after many weeks, they produced the device: between a pair of rods, a thin dimensional area field was formed…and snapped. The sudden collapse of the area sparked an energy discharge, and though there was light and other electromagnetic radiation from this arc, the bulk of the damaging power lay in the netherworld between real space and dimensional space. The shock deleted viruses with ease; hopefully an array of these "Echo Zappers" would prove effective at eliminating Imi as well, but there was still one more task to take care of.

_Job 3: break "the link."_

More than Netto's disappearance or Imi's slaughter, the link between Netto and Saito worried Yuuichirou. The pain they shared across the link crippled them when Roll needed help most. Even as brothers, as close as they were, could they really live with each other's voices indefinitely? After all, they had phrases and names and distinct categories for such a phenomenon in psychological circles.

"Dissociative identities" or "multiple personalities"—whether real or imagined, having another set of thoughts intrude upon your own could only strain one's sanity, but more than fear for his sons' mental health, Yuuichirou couldn't squelch the thought that _he _was responsible for it, however indirectly, however by chance or accident it was.

But let not this anxiety keep him from his work. Though he had trifle little data on the link, Yuuichirou outlined the frameworks for solutions in private, with only Meijin to help him, as few could know of his attempt to revive Rockman as Saito. No doubt they would need more information, from computed tomography to electroencephalograms. The brain was a complicated piece of technology, after all; no doubt the answer to breaking the link wouldn't come quickly, but it _would_ come. Yuuichirou would hardly allow otherwise.

Thus, when the news reports broke of Netto carrying Meiru to a hospital in Ameroupe, Yuuichirou made up his mind: he and Haruka would go to them, to Ameroupe, with the weapons to kill Imi and the technology to discover the source of the link and break it. This they would do for their sons, and let nothing stand in their way.

Except morning traffic.

HONK HONK! Manabe beat the steering wheel. "I'm sorry, Hikari-hakase. I don't think we'll make it in time for the flight."

Yuuichirou sighed. "I guess it can't be helped. We'll get here early tomorrow, leave nothing—"

Ring ring ring. "Ah, I'm sorry, that's me," said Manabe. She held up her PET and frowned. "It's Enzan-kun…"

"Enzan-kun?" said Yuuichirou. "He must have Netto with him!"

"Let's find out." Manabe tapped the holo-screen, and Enzan appeared.

"Manabe-san, is Hikari-hakase—"

"I'm here!" said Yuuichirou. "Is Netto there?"

"He is; he's sleeping," said Enzan. "I understand you're trying to get to Ameroupe."

"Failing," corrected Yuuichirou. "We're going to miss our flight."

"I've made arrangements to get you here quickly."

TEET TEET! Traffic cops interceded in the standstill. They surrounded the car and motioned for the others behind the stop, the ones in front to pull over and make a hole. Manabe's vehicle wove through the rest of the chaos and escaped.

"You'll need to go north," said Enzan. "You'll be leaving from the air base outside of town, and you'll be in Ameroupe within an hour or two if all goes well."

"I don't understand. Going to Ameroupe is at least half a day of flying."

Enzan smiled. "Not anymore."

Manabe's car snuck out of the city, and tracked for miles to a fenced off military base. Yuuichirou and Haruka needed not pass the front gate to spot the delta-shaped vehicle in the distance and the clamps that held it to a vertical metal structure.

Yuuichirou gawked. "You're taking us into _space_?"

—

The flight surgeon and his team of nurses spared no time. They stripped Yuuichirou to his skivvies, pressed sensors to his chest, and heaved him onto a treadmill, where he ran for dear life as the observers measured his heart rate, sweating, and blood flow.

"I must apologize, Hikari-san," Enzan told Haruka. "With all the equipment Hikari-hakase will require, I'm afraid there's only room for one on the flight, besides the two pilots."

"Oh, that's all right," said Haruka, watching her husband strain to keep pace. "I did think someone should stay home and watch the house while we were gone anyway, and I'm sure Yuuichirou-san will help Netto and Saito, so they can come home."

"I hope so."

Yuuichirou sprinted, matching the treadmill's speed, but one false step, and his footing gave way. The belt chafed on his back and spat him into the wall.

"Congratulations, hakase," said the flight surgeon. "You've passed the stress test."

Yuuichirou ripped the sensors off and panted. "Really?" he said. "I'm feeling pretty stressed right now!"

As soon as he was cleaned up, the staff dressed Yuuichirou in a stuffy, hot spacesuit. They tweaked and spun his air hoses, polished his helmet. It was an astounding experience, to be sure: like many others of his generation, Yuuichirou harbored a strong fascination with space, even if his work usually kept him on the ground. To think he would enjoy this opportunity, one that he hadn't sought but was handed to him, was a bit bizarre, but no less exciting.

Especially when they walked him to the launch pad, and he rode the elevator with the two pilots. They rose above the mammoth engine nozzles, a giant IPC logo streamed by, and finally, they climbed through the open hatch. Strapped in and ready to go, they had only to wait for the countdown…

"T-minus 15, 14, 13…"

_Don't worry Netto, Saito. Papa's going to be there soon._

"…12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, ignition sequence start!"

Three jolts rattled the cabin, and Yuuichirou gripped the seat.

"…3, 2, 1, ignition!"

A noise, a vibration unimaginable! The craft hovered off the ground with surreal lethargy. It crept to the sky like a baby claws his way up a bedpost. The first thrust was just barely enough to lift them, but soon, the laws of acceleration took over and rocketed them to the stars.

"We've cleared the tower!"

The craft shot like a bullet to the cosmos, and it tilted and rolled on its ascent into orbit. With his sense of up and down restored, Yuuichirou sat on his rear again instead of his back, but that small comfort quickly waned. Clouds and blue sky evaporated outside his window. The engines cut, and the craft hurtled alone and unpowered, solely at gravity's mercy. It was then that Yuuichirou rose against his seat belts. He sat back in the chair, but though his eyes told him up from down, his ears and his gut floated, confused and puzzled.

"Don't worry, hakase," said the pilot. "You'll get used to it."

"Before or after I make a mess of this helmet?"

The pilot chuckled. "Maybe after."

Maybe after indeed. Well, Yuuichirou had little better to do than hold back his stomach acid and pray…and wonder. Just as Enzan had said, the pilot assured him the trip would take no more than two hours. Bypassing the friction of air made unimaginable speeds possible. That was the important thing: more speed, less time. So very, very important.

_Why does Enzan-kun want me in Ameroupe so quickly?_

Yuuichirou asked the co-pilot to make a call to ground, which, while expensive, was certainly doable. Compared to the cost of lift-off, it was a blade of grass in an acre of meadows. When Enzan was on the line, Yuuichirou pressed him for an answer to his question.

"I've put together a plan of attack, a trap for Echo," said Enzan, "and I need your weapon to make it work."

"Really? It's been sitting in my lab for the last week and a half."

Whether it was the delay of radio reaching orbit or just Enzan hesitating, the response came after several seconds. "Circumstances have changed."

"How so?"

"Hakase, you may want to make sure the line is secure."

At that, Yuuichirou and his pilots fumbled with the communication controls.

"The truth is," said Enzan, "I need to apologize. I've lied to you."

"Lied to me? …does that mean Netto isn't with you after all?"

"He's here. He's been here for the last two months."

Yuuichirou sputtered into his headset. It was laughable, impossible! He'd spoken to Enzan himself, he'd begged him to put Imi aside and hunt for Netto, and now this _boy_, this Ijuuin Enzan, was telling him his son was safe all along? Hiding in plain sight, in Enzan's home?

"I assure you, hakase, I wouldn't have done that if I'd known about the link between Netto and Rockman, if I'd known that Rockman was born Hikari Saito."

Yuuichirou paled. "Who told you?"

"Sim. She said she spoke with you."

That's right, the purple navi, the one who'd been seen, if only fleetingly, with Rockman in Internet City. She called him out of the blue, knowing full well of the connection, the link, but she was ignorant of the past, of history. She knew nothing of Roll's death or Meiru's disappearance. She was a strange navi, that much was certain. Where did she come from?

"Netto and Rockman created her," Enzan explained. "To practice fighting Echo."

"That—that doesn't make sense."

"Little does anymore, hakase, but please listen to me: over the last two months, I've been keeping a close eye on Netto's activities. For many days, he spent all his time in the simulator. At first, I thought he felt responsible for what happened to Sakurai's navi, but now that I know of the link—"

"Netto couldn't have blamed himself," said Yuuichirou, "because Saito blamed himself more."

Enzan was silent on the other end.

"Is this why you need me there?"

"I realized you must have been working on some kind of solution—a fix or a patch of some kind to break the link. I asked Meijin, and he confirmed it."

"I have little idea if any of my proposals will work."

"You must've thought as I do, hakase, that stopping Echo would let Netto and Rockman go home. If we can defeat her today, then you'll have all the time you need to study both of them."

"And if we don't?"

"I can only hope that everything doesn't collapse around us."

After about an hour in low orbit, the ship skipped off the atmosphere like a pebble on a pond. It bounced back into orbit only to skip again and again. On the fourth hit, rather than bounce again, it sank and glided over the Ameroupan continent, touching down at an air base outside of town. Raoul was there to meet Yuuichirou and drive him to headquarters, but in light of Enzan's comments, the scientist chose a different destination.

"Ah, hakase…"

Midnight at Enzan's penthouse, and the Net Savior himself shuffled papers over the dinner table. His teacup rattled; he stared and gaped at Yuuichirou, who stood in the doorway.

"Please, Enzan-kun. I need to see them."

With a grim smile and nod, Enzan led Yuuichirou upstairs. He inched a door open, and the hallway light cast a sliver of gold on a snoring boy and his PET.

"It's so peaceful…" said Yuuichirou.

"Perhaps deceptively peaceful," said Enzan.

But Yuuichirou shook off his foreboding. "Still, this is enough for now. I can work for a while, but I want you to bring them to me, understand?"

"I will; I promise."

Thus satisfied with Enzan's vow, Yuuichirou went to hold up his end of the bargain as well. Raoul drove him to the Ameroupan Net Police Headquarters, and there, with local scientists at his disposal and his equipment at the ready, Yuuichirou worked through the night and into the morning. They rigged a deathtrap for Imi, with multiple zapper terminals crammed into the walls. Once activated, the array would shear her data and leave nothing behind. This Yuuichirou would do—and more—to bring his boys home.

And so nothing could bring him greater pleasure than to see Netto in the doorway, with Rockman projected over his shoulder, as he, Yuuichirou, demonstrated the fruits of his work.

"Hello Netto; hello Saito. Mama and I…have missed you."

"We've missed you too, Papa," said Rockman.

"I think our work is done here," said Raoul. "Everyone, get some rest. Clear the room."

The other scientists filed out, and Raoul and Enzan left the Hikari family alone in the lab. Netto walked to the wall and traced his finger around the rim of a zapper terminal. "Did you make this, Papa?" he asked. "Can it stop Echo?"

"I'm quite sure it can," said Yuuichirou.

"That's good," said Rockman. "Isn't that good, Netto-kun?"

"_Aa_," mumbled the boy.

Yuuichirou's mirth faded. Perhaps it was the long day of work or the jet lag from his epic journey, but already something struck him as wrong. Rockman, it seemed, was his usual self, but Netto was pensive and pondering. In and of themselves, these were not bad qualities, but they hardly characterized the boy who left for Ameroupe some 57 days ago.

"Enzan-kun told me you've been staying with him," said Yuuichirou.

"It wasn't his fault," said Netto. "It was my—" He stopped. "It was _our_ idea."

"It doesn't bother me," said Yuuichirou. "Enzan-kun is very responsible."

Netto nodded and wandered the room.

"I haven't been working on just the Imi problem, you know," said Yuuichirou. "Tell me: are you both still 'linked'?"

Netto stopped.

"The link is the source of our power, Papa," said Rockman.

"Power?"

"When Netto-kun and I share…" Rockman frowned. "I don't know how to describe it, but we merge somehow."

"Like Full Synchro, then."

"No, this is different," said Rockman. "We trained very hard to try to achieve it before we realized that one of us would have to make a choice before we could really activate it."

"So this is why you were training," said Yuuichirou.

"We won't need that power anymore, though," said Netto. "Now that Papa has a weapon that can stop Echo—"

"We won't need the link," said Rockman.

"It couldn't come in handy against other opponents?" asked Yuuichirou.

"Being linked to Netto-kun hurts him," said Rockman. "This is too much of a price to pay, Papa. He shouldn't have to feel what I feel."

"What do you feel, Saito?"

"Because Roll-chan died…"

"Because Roll died?"

"I promised her she wouldn't have to suffer anymore. She talks to Imi-chan, Papa. She's trapped inside her mind."

"Nakamura-hakase could get her out," said Netto. "Now that Enzan's captured him."

"Nakamura-hakase is here?" said Yuuichirou. "Where is he? He could help me!"

"Can he help you make me human?" asked Rockman.

Yuuichirou blinked. "Pardon?"

Netto looked at his brother, but Rockman collected himself and explained. "Being a navi means I'm always fighting. Even navis who weren't meant to fight, like Glyde—they end up fighting, too. Sometimes we succeed, but sometimes we fail. I've failed Roll-chan not once but twice now. What if someone else had been there to fight for her? Not every human has to fight; not all of them are even good at it. If I were human…"

Yuuichirou stared at his son. What could he say to that? For years, he'd worked to bring Saito back to life, but if his son were to give up his place as a navi, he had to come to terms with the nature of his existence. _This isn't coming to terms, though. This is…this is…_

CRUNCH BAM! The lights flickered; loose tools and ceiling tiles rattled.

"What was that?" said Netto.

Enzan and Raoul dashed back into the room. "Stay here, both of you," said Enzan. "Stand guard like Nakamura-hakase is here, and be ready to activate the weapon if Echo comes. Raoul and I are going to check that out."

The two departed, and as armed officers stood watch outside, Netto clenched his fists and eyed the activation switch to the zapper.

"Maybe this time, we can do right by Roll-chan," said Rockman.

Yuuichirou's stomach knotted.

—

"Help them! For the love of God…"

Shards of glass littered the lobby. The podium, where Enzan had stood not ten minutes ago, blazed and churned smoke into the room. The marble steps crumbled at the slightest weight…

…and a team of special weapons officers lay prone among the debris. Their eyes, wide and shining, gazed upward in an endless stare.

"Come on, we need a medic!" One of their comrades was a woman. She'd lost her helmet, and her red hair tangled and charred at the ends.

"Hey, are you all right?" Raoul and his men rushed to her aid, but she shooed them away.

"Don't worry about me!" she said. "Help them!"

Enzan knelt beside the corpse of an officer and pulled the dead man's eyelids closed. "Can you tell us what happened here?" he asked the woman. "Corporal…Tallman, is it?"

"Yes, sir," said Tallman. "It's just…" She pressed her hand against her temple. "Sorry, sir, ringing. I don't know where the explosion came from. I didn't see anything. We were on patrol, and I ducked away to get a drink from the water fountain, and…" Blood dripped from her forehead. "Oh, God…"

"Let's get Corporal Tallman some medical attention!" said Raoul. "You two: take the corporal to the infirmary."

"And after you're done, report to the basement lab," said Enzan. "Dr. Hikari may need your help."

The two officers nodded and escorted Corporal Tallman from the blast site.

Raoul, for his part, closed the eyes of another downed man. "Terrible," he said. "Do you think we got Echo's attention?"

Enzan wandered the wreckage. "I hate to think who we could've crossed if we—"

A pair of deep blue eyes shone in the dust. Strands of bright red hair hung still. The woman's nametag read, "P. Tallman," and a gash in her forehead cut clean through the bone.

"It was her!" Enzan said. "Echo is here…"

"And we told her exactly where the weapon is," said Raoul.

Enzan smirked. "But she doesn't know it's there."

**3**

In fog and dirt, Enzan and Raoul blocked and punched their attackers. It was a tricky business, for while their chips and attacks could dispatch the goons with ease, their weapons would also rend the flesh irreparably. The strength and power of their navis, lent to them through cross fusion, would have to be enough to stem the assault.

And Netto and Rockman would have no part of it. From within their compartment, they monitored the battle. They only watched, for Enzan forbade them to leave. They had someone to protect in this cabin: Nakamura Hideki. How the old scientist slept through all the commotion was beyond Netto, but it mattered not. It made it all the easier to stay in the dark room and wait for Imi.

'_She played us, Netto-kun.'_

Netto sank from the window and set his eyes on the doorway.

'_She's an abomination. She's an affront to Roll-chan's memory! Don't you remember?'_

"I remember, nii-san," Netto said. "I still remember."

—

"Nakamura-hakase!"

Enzan dashed into the lab, blazing past Netto and Yuuichirou.

"Where are you, hakase?"

"What's happened?" said Netto.

Enzan scoured the room. He peeped under tables and whipped open the closets. "Echo attacked the front gate; we need to make sure Nakamura-hakase is safe!"

"He's here?" said Yuuichirou. "Right here?"

"Isn't he? Where else would he be but with you?"

"I haven't seen him," said Netto. "You didn't tell us where he was."

Enzan shook his head. "No, no, he has to be here. You're here, and Hikari-hakase's here…" Enzan paced back and forth. "He's a scientist; he should be right here!"

Netto and Yuuichirou exchanged a glance, and Yuuichirou gripped the bolted-down switch on the wall. "Do you know what this is?" he said.

"Papa, what are you doing?" said Rockman.

"Remember, it's harmless to normal matter," said the scientist. "It's harmless…"

Enzan met his gaze, and an angry glare came over the boy's face. "Give me my Pa—"

TACK-ew-TACK-ew-TACK-ew! Three bolts blasted Enzan's data away. He shrank from the beams and hid, but they pounded his body, and blue virtual particles showered from the impacts.

"You must forgive me, Imi," said Yuuichirou, "but you've hurt too many people, and you nearly took my sons away from me. I can't let that happen again."

A fifth hit exposed her for what she really was. The illusion of Enzan faded, and Imi writhed in the line of fire. The array was unrelenting, for as each set of bolts dissipated, another group fired. She called upon an oft-used defense, the Dream Aura, but the bolts sliced the shield and her along with it.

"No! Papa…help me, Papa!"

Rockman leaned forward from his perch on Netto's shoulder. "Do you feel pain, Imi-chan? Do you feel all the agony you've caused to Roll-chan, to others?"

"You think I haven't been hurt before, Rockman-san?"

"I don't like seeing this," said Rockman, "but after what you did to Roll-chan, after the promise I made to her…this is only fair."

A bolt cut Imi's leg at the knee, but she crawled, dragged herself to Netto and Rockman's feet, all the same. "Roll-san asked you to end her suffering. You don't think she's suffering now? You don't think she feels this?"

Rockman flinched and looked away. "This is what has to be—"

"Rockman!"

Oh no. He knew that voice. Her screams haunted his nightmares, and now she was screaming again. He looked back…

…and Roll crawled at Netto's feet. Dimensional bolts bored through her chest and zapped her antennae, shaving them clean off. She cried and whimpered as repeat fire gashed her arm and severed it at the shoulder, leaving only a shimmering wound.

"Please, Rockman!" she sobbed. "Make it stop!"

"It's a trick!" said Yuuichirou. "She's trying to manipulate us!"

"No, Papa, Roll spoke to us," said Netto. "In the hotel, with Meiru, she fought against Echo and took over her body."

"For a while," said Rockman.

"Rockman!" cried Roll. "Don't let me die like this!"

Yuuichirou clenched his hand on the switch, but he looked between Roll and Rockman.

"I can't do it." Rockman shook his head. "If Roll-chan has to die, it should be quick. She shouldn't have to feel anything. Papa…turn it off."

"Are you sure, Saito?"

Rockman nodded.

"Let's hope, then." Yuuichirou released the handle, and the bolts and arcs of energy sparked out. Roll collapsed face-down on the floor, and her data seeped from the many cuts and slashes across her body.

'_You made the right decision, nii-san,'_ said Netto. _'No one deserves that fate, not even Echo.'_

"Roll-chan, can you speak?" said Rockman. "Can you hear me?"

"Netto! Echo is—" Enzan and Raoul skidded in their tracks. "Echo is Roll again?"

"Roll-chan, talk to me!" said Rockman. "Are you all right?"

"Rockman…" She met his gaze, weak and weary. "There's something you need to understand."

"Anything, just tell me."

She curled her fingers, and a pressure wave knocked over Netto and Yuuichirou. The burst shattered the zapper switch, and Roll, her limbs regenerating, cracked a sinister grin. "I'm gone, Rockman. I'm dead, and I'm never coming back," she said. "Never again."

—

Noon in Ameroupe. Windowpanes splattered on the asphalt. The marble pillars in front of the Net Police Headquarters cracked and snapped. The building, they said, was beyond repair, and would likely be demolished the next day.

_Echo demolished it already._

Enzan watched from afar as firemen and cleanup crews waded through debris and recovered the injured and dead.

"It would've been far safer to evacuate the building before we made the announcement," said Blues. "We were right to object."

A stretcher passed by, and as one paramedic slid a woman into the back of an ambulance, his partner pressed his latex gloves against an open chest wound. The rubber ran red with her blood.

"I wish we weren't," said Enzan.

Trucks and bulldozers hauled off the wreckage, and Enzan left them with their work half-done. He returned home, to his penthouse, which, with the destruction of headquarters, had become the natural command center of the Net Police in the city. Already, the regular officers setup camp on the ground floor, commandeering ballrooms and restaurants. On Enzan's floor, however, there were only three others: Yuuichirou, Netto, and Raoul.

Raoul took a seat at the dinner table. He rubbed his temple and spoke to a holo-screen that Thunderman projected. When Enzan arrived, he muted the line. "The world's in an uproar, Enzan," he said, "and Echo is still on the loose. What can we say?"

What was there to say? From the grips of death, they'd released Imi, allowed her to recuperate and regenerate. More than that, though, Enzan himself had fueled her rage, forced her to run amok through headquarters, looking for her father.

"Tell me where my Papa is!" Imi'd said, shedding her disguise. "Tell me, or I'll touch you! I'll touch you all and find out for myself!"

They had mere moments to react; no time for force, but all the time in the world to bluff.

"You won't touch us," Enzan said. "You can't. Even if you kill us afterward, what's stopping us from speaking to you like Roll does? Who's to say you won't be stuck with our voices in your mind for the rest of your life?"

She growled. "You _want_ me to touch you, Enzan-san? You want to make good on that?"

He thrust his hand forward, square in her face, and she reflexively backed away, startled.

"I'm right here, Echo," he said. "Do it."

She raised her hand to meet his, but her fingers trembled and shook, and at the point of contact, she closed her hand into a fist and beat it against her thigh like a toddler throwing a tantrum. She punched upward, and the Mach Burst caved the ceiling. She jumped through the hole, and the sounds of her rampage echoed into the basement lab. Often, there was silence, or maybe a stray scream, an accusation of her guilt and evil, but these people—largely office workers—were little threat to her.

The armed officers, however, she dispatched of with brutal efficiency. They shot, and she deflected the bullets back at them. They lobbed grenades, but she wrapped their hands with vines before the charges left their grip, and Enzan, Raoul, and Netto were helpless to intercede, for Imi obliterated the dimensional area generators on the roof, and with their own signal dampers in place, they were helpless to call for aid.

_Which reduces us to this…_

Around the ruined pedestal, Yuuichirou moved in his equipment, his computers, his scanners. With Netto hooked up to electrode pads and Rockman's PET hooked into a laptop, Yuuichirou paged through data and graphs, scratching his head and muttering to himself. Enzan ventured inside, but the scientist quickly shooed him away. "I need more time!" he said. "Please don't disturb us. And if Imi returns, don't tell them. Especially Saito. All he can think about is how Imi used Roll's image."

"What am I supposed to do, hakase?" said Enzan. "If Echo should appear—"

"Then handle it!" Yuuichirou sighed. "Just handle it. Netto and Saito shouldn't be fighting, not like this."

_Handle it. Just handle it._

"They do seem to be in a bit of shock, sir," said Calloway.

Enzan brushed by the corporal. "What are you still doing here?"

"Watching Mr. Hikari like you told me to, sir."

_If only everyone had such blind attachment to duty._

Enzan put the television on mute and sat on the couch. What did his sense of duty tell him to do now? How was he going to "handle it"? His plan had failed; there was no backup. There was nothing but calls. Reporters hunted for answers; officials demanded explanations. All these calls Blues disposed of, for Enzan was all too willing to ignore them.

All but one. Around three in the afternoon, Blues received a call he couldn't trace. The signal reflected off a handful of satellites before reaching Enzan. Intrigued, Enzan took the call and came face-to-face with—

"Sakurai!"

"Is it true, Enzan? You have Imi's father, and she attacked the Net Police because of it?"

Enzan scrutinized her surroundings. A small window lay in the background with a view of blue sky behind, and Meiru's chair was stiff and upright, with two armrests and…

"You're on a plane?"

"Nakamura-hakase—where is he?"

Enzan sat back. "I don't have time for this."

"Please, Enzan, wait! Nakamura-hakase is the only chance we have to save Roll from Imi. Let me talk to him."

"Echo said it herself," Blues intervened. "She won't let Roll retake control. She used her form to deceive us today and escape from our trap."

"So that's what this is?" said Meiru. "You're just using her father to trap her?"

"Goodbye, Sakurai."

"Enzan, let me talk to Netto then. Let me—"

He tapped the PET, and the line cut.

"Sakurai-san is persistent," Blues noted.

"She is." Enzan frowned. "Everyone is. Sakurai's fixated on Netto and Roll. Hikari-hakase only cares about his sons. Someone has to care about stopping Echo, not for their own reasons but because it's the right thing to do."

"I think a large part of what defeated your plan was the presence of too many civilians and unknowns," said Blues. "We need to get Echo isolated."

Enzan nodded. "And Echo would expect us to move Nakamura-hakase out of the city, wouldn't she?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"Do we still have signal jammers? And dimensional converters?"

"Both."

"Then we can move Nakamura-hakase out of town and lead Echo into our trap," said Enzan. "She will have no choice but to follow, and this time…" He looked to the television screen, where footage of the carnage still topped the news. "…this time, it will just be the three of us. No one else should be at stake." He stood and pocketed Blues's PET. "Buy us some tickets, Blues. Four tickets."

"Bus, plane, or train, Enzan-sama?"

Enzan halted. A bus would be slow. A plane would risk them falling thirty-thousand feet to their deaths. A train, at least, would give some illusion of speed, like they were in a hurry, and anything that convinced Imi she should take them at face-value was much the better.

"The train," Enzan said. "We're going for a ride."

**4**

"Raoul, behind you!"

R Thunderman whirled and ducked a right hook. "I'm getting tired of this, Enzan!"

"Agreed!"

The two Net Saviors stood back-to-back as their assailants circled them.

"Aqua Sword!" Enzan held the blade overhead and slammed the earth beneath him. The torrent swept away his attackers and washed them up soaking and drenched.

"Grass Seed!" Raoul rolled the green ovoid to his side, and vines sprouted from the earth. They wrapped and bound the remaining goons, and while they weren't nearly the strength of Grove's (and, by extension, Imi's), they were more than enough to hold a person.

"Now," Enzan said, approaching the suits, "let's see who you are." He snatched their glasses from them, but their faces were unfamiliar. A clip in the coat pocket, however, caught his eye. He undid the hinged alligator clip and found a plastic ID card, emblazoned with the company logo.

"Impossible!" said Raoul. "Could it be—"

"This isn't Echo!" Enzan cast the ID to the mud. "She's here, isn't she?" he demanded of the goons. "ISN'T SHE?"

The mooks tugged on their bindings and glared.

Enzan scanned the train. "She must be after Nakamura. Come on; let's go!"

—

"Enzan, let me talk to Netto then. Let me—"

The screen blanked.

"That Enzan!" Meiru dropped her PET on the tray table and gazed out the window. "So insensitive!"

Quickly enough, another faced popped up on the screen. "I take it Enzan didn't receive you well," said Yaito.

"He hung up on me," said Meiru.

"Well, he's rude and arrogant and obnoxious and—"

"He doesn't care if Roll lives or dies."

Yaito simpered. "What did he say?"

"That Imi pretended to be Roll, so she could escape from his trap."

"What did Netto say?"

"Enzan cut the call before I even had the chance to ask."

Yaito frowned. "There must be something we can do…"

Indeed, they were doing it already: going in circles. High in the Ameroupan skies, Yaito's personal jet (well, personal jet number seven, at any rate) carried Meiru in a holding pattern over the city. Yaito's reasoning for this was simple—the safest place for Meiru to be was in the air, where no one, not even Imi, would find her. Granted, it was only safe so long as no one knew she was there. Now that she'd risked calling Enzan and divulged this secret inadvertently, it might take some rethinking, but even he wouldn't know _where_ she was in the sky.

"But if they fly Nakamura-hakase out, they're mad," said Yaito. "Echo must be watching them. She'd shoot them down without a second thought."

Truth be told, Meiru was pleased that Imi'd thwarted Enzan's trap. She was the only fragment, the only memory of Roll. Enzan used her father as a lure, not just to catch her but to kill her outright. That was unacceptable. Roll was her only…her only…

Pain. Her head wound throbbed and ached. The cataclysmic Charge Shot at the Chandler had knocked a steel pipe against her forehead, and luckily, it didn't splatter her brains on the walls.

_But Netto shot. He didn't think about any of us there. He didn't think about me. He just…shot._

He didn't just shoot. When she moved to stay his hand, he pushed her down, shoved her away. She was nothing to him, and for whatever reason, Roll was everything. Roll mattered; she didn't.

Thus, the news footage from last night perplexed her. Bleeding and senseless, she was limp in his arms, and he jumped, hurtled, thirty-one stories to the earth, steadied only by Rockman's jetpack thrusters. He yelled for an ambulance, brushed her hair away from the blood, and whispered in her ear.

_I wish I knew what he said._

Much as she might try to remember those moments, though, they were forever lost to her, and only the grip of his hand on her arm as he thrust her aside stuck.

_When Roll died and Netto left, I chose to go after Netto. Now that Roll's alive and Netto…_

The pain coursed through her head.

"Ah…" She gritted her teeth and leaned over the tray table. _Netto left me again, so now, I have to be there for Roll. I can't let Enzan destroy her. I have to do something._

"Meiru-chan, I have something." With Yaito's narration, a camera shot of Enzan, Raoul, Netto, Yuuichirou, and several Net Police officers appeared on the holo-screen. They strode into a rail station, and on one of the loading platforms, their equipment—boxes, crates, and four long, blue cylinders—was stowed in different storage compartments.

"They've got a new plan," said Meiru. "Another chance to delete Imi and Roll along with her."

"Well, we can't let them do that!" said Yaito. "We can do something."

"What can we do?"

"I bet if we had Nakamura-hakase here at Gabcom, we could do something for Roll. We'd put him to work until he found a solution, a way to save her."

"Gabcom makes games."

"That's not all we do, you know! Remember the projector I showed you all?"

"The one that destroyed a whole skyscraper with its holograms?"

"A minor malfunction, precipitated by beast viruses! Look here: you see that man with the umbrella?"

Sure enough, a man in a long coat stood on the platform with an open umbrella. By this time, all the other civilians had cleared out. Aside from the umbrella man, only Netto, Raoul, Enzan, and Yuuichirou remained, and Yuuichirou slowly backed away as the other four boarded the train.

"Netto, Raoul-san, Enzan, and Nakamura-hakase," said Yaito. "That must be him. If we can stop the train, we can take Nakamura-hakase for ourselves."

"And cross Enzan? And Netto?"

"If Enzan is stubborn and won't listen to reason, there's no other way about it, is there?"

The train departed the station, and everything returned to normal.

Meiru bit her lip. "I don't know, Yaito-chan; I just don't know…"

"It's up to you. What do you think Roll would do, though, if your positions were reversed?"

Roll's words echoed in Meiru's mind. "Meiru-chan, I'm proud of you. When Imi-chan had you cornered, you didn't back down. That's something you should be happy for."

"Roll was happy that I'd become stronger," Meiru said.

"She still needs you," said Yaito.

"She does, doesn't she?" Meiru smiled. "And I won't let her down."

"I know you won't, Meiru-chan. Not with my help."

The plane pitched downward. Clouds raced past the window, and the city skyline reappeared on the horizon.

_It's time to save Roll._ Meiru reattached her battle chip gate to Roll's PET and waited quietly for the plane's descent.

_I can be strong for you still._

—

"Enzan, look!"

Raoul and Enzan left their attackers trapped in mud and vine, but back by the train, a girl stared at them with hard eyes. She was on a mission.

"Sakurai!"

She slotted-in some battle chips, and Flame Lines and viruses swarmed the two Net Saviors. Enzan backpedaled, and his heel crunched a plastic ID badge underfoot. When he stepped away, the Gabcom logo sparkled in the night.

"Forgive me, Raoul, Enzan," she said. "Roll needs me." She boarded the train and left her digital constructs to fend off her foes. _That won't hold them for long, but I just need to buy some time._

Buy time. Buy time for what? Her men—Yaito's security force—were immobilized, disabled. If Nakamura resisted, how could she force him to go with her? Could she hold off Enzan and Raoul with viruses and defensive chips until the dimensional converters gave out and reset?

If Roll were there, she'd tell Meiru to give up, go back. Perhaps Enzan would ignore this trespass, like all the others before it, and leave her on her way…

…but even if that were so, even if escaping with Nakamura were futile, there was still one reason to be here.

He stepped into the hallway, and though shadows cloaked his face, she knew who it was.

"Netto…"

**5**

"Saito, Netto, you don't have to do this," said Yuuichirou.

The sleek metal train idled at the platform. Raoul was already aboard, and Enzan needed only to wait for Nakamura, but he made one last request of Netto, one that troubled Yuuichirou to no end:

"Come with us," said Enzan. "Use the power you had at the Chandler or when you first came to Ameroupe. I know if you have the chance to use those abilities unhindered, you can stop Echo."

'_So she won't trick us anymore,'_ said Rockman. _'So she can't use Roll-chan against us. We should do this, Netto-kun.'_

_That's what bothers you, isn't it? Not that she killed and hurt a bunch of people but that she made herself look like Roll?_

'_It's because she tricked us that she escaped! We're responsible. We're always responsible, and we have to set things right.'_

_Maybe not this time._ Netto shook his head. _You carry too much of the burden, nii-san. Let Enzan and Raoul take care of Echo._

'_We let them try for two months, and they came up empty. _We_ need to do this.'_

_You mean _you_ need to do this. That's what you wanted from the start, isn't it?_

'_I owe that much to Roll-chan.'_

_But she's dead! I know how you feel, nii-san, but—_

'_Do you? Is that how you feel about Meiru-chan?'_

Netto shivered. _It's not the same…I never should've left her alone…_

'_We both have jobs to do, don't we? We have responsibilities because we didn't do them right the first time. So let's do them right this time, okay? Let's do them the way we wanted to.'_

_You can't hide your feelings from me. If Echo does show up, what are you going to do? What will you want _me_ to do?_

Rockman's gaze fell.

_I'll do this for you, nii-san, but I want you to think about something._

Rockman nodded. _'Anything.'_

_Are you just doing this for Roll? Or because it'll make you feel good when Echo is gone? Or so you can feel like you won't have any more responsibilities afterward?_

'_What are you saying?'_

_I guess what I'm saying is…_

"Netto, are you coming?" said Enzan.

Netto paused for a moment, but without a word, he boarded the train.

"Are you sure?" asked Yuuichirou. "You're still not well, both of you—"

"It'll be all right, Papa," said Rockman.

"We'll see, Papa," said Netto. "See you soon."

With that, Yuuichirou backed away, and the train accelerated from the platform.

_Do you promise me, nii-san, to think about it?_

'_I promise, Netto-kun.'_

—

'_But what is _she_ doing here?'_

"Netto, I…I need your help." Meiru stepped forward in the hall. "Is he here? Nakamura-hakase?"

He peered through the open compartment door, and the figure under the blanket turned over.

"He's there, isn't he." Meiru joined him in the doorway and smiled. "Maybe there's still a chance after all."

"A chance for what?" asked Netto.

"To save Roll."

'_To save Roll-chan?'_

Meiru scurried inside and jostled Nakamura. "Oji-san, wake up! I need your help; my navi—"

He rolled over and pulled the blanket over his head.

'_You can't save Roll-chan; you can't!'_

"Netto, help me!" said Meiru, pulling on Nakamura's arm. "Yaito-chan has a helicopter. We can take him and have him work to bring Roll back!"

_This could work._

'_And how long is it going to take? How long do we let Roll-chan be captive in Imi-chan's mind? How long do we let Imi-chan run around destroying things and looking like Roll-chan because someone like us won't hurt her?'_

Netto grabbed Nakamura's elbow and dragged. _We made honest decisions; we—_

'_No!'_

Netto's grip wavered. He backed away and stood tall, but these actions and motions horrified him, for they were not his own. He pushed and pulled and resisted, but his fingers twitched, confused and puzzled.

_Nii-san, don't do this, please!_

"Netto?" said Meiru. "What's wrong?"

The words welled up in his mouth and tumbled out. "You should go, Meiru-chan."

'_I'm sorry, Netto-kun. I have to do this. She wouldn't forgive me if I didn't.'_

_I won't forgive you if you do!_

Rockman's hold on his body faltered but instantly reasserted itself. Netto jolted against his brother's control, but his own nerves and flesh bound him.

Meiru narrowed her eyes. "I asked you to call me Meiru."

"Roll-chan made me promise," Netto said. "I won't let her suffer any longer, and Imi-chan must pay for what she did."

"But we can save her!" said Meiru. "Or at least we should try!"

"I've failed Roll-chan too many times now…"

Meiru frowned. "Roll-_chan_?"

Netto, or rather Rockman, flinched.

"Since when did you call her Roll-_chan_?" She marched toward him, but he thrust his hand out, holding her at arm's length. She didn't struggle, though. "You're not Netto, are you? You're…you're Rockman! Sim was right; you've taken over! You were the one who tried to shoot Roll. You were the one who pushed me away!"

She pounded her fists on his armor. She kicked and clawed, but he smothered her. He held her tight, but she wouldn't stop, wouldn't falter. "Let him go, Rockman; let him go! Netto!"

"Sakurai!"

Meiru stopped. Enzan and Raoul boarded the compartment, and though Enzan's visor blocked his face, his glare could be felt for miles. "You've interfered with our operation, Sakurai! Do you know what that means?"

He wrenched her from Netto's grip and dragged her along, but she waved her arms, frantic. "You don't understand!" she said. "That isn't Netto; that's Rockman!"

Enzan hesitated. He looked back to his comrade and called out, "Netto, stay with Nakamura-hakase."

"Understood."

Enzan stared for a moment, but he shook off his doubt and carried Meiru into the forward cabin.

_This is wrong, nii-san. Do you hear me?_

Rockman sat Netto's body in Nakamura's cabin and closed the door. _'This is what we have to do.'_

_No, it isn't._

—

"But that's not Netto!" Meiru cried. "Why don't you believe me?"

"Because it's too late to do anything about it if you're right!"

Meiru froze, and Enzan dropped her to the floor. There, he and Raoul dropped cross fusion and sat in a booth of the dining compartment. Enzan ran his fingers through his hair, shook his head, and closed his eyes.

"Why did you come here, Sakurai?" he said. "What did you hope to accomplish? To save Roll?" He laughed. "Maybe you could've; I don't know. But now we're stuck here. Netto may be Rockman, and we're dead in the water."

"Let me take Netto, then," said Meiru. "Let me take Netto and Hikari-hakase and Nakamura-hakase—"

"No, you can't," said Enzan. "You can't take Nakamura-hakase."

"Why not?"

"Because—"

"Enzan, look." Raoul pointed out the window. In the distance, beyond the edge of the dimensional area, a small figure with a conical hat tapped her foot and crossed her arms.

"It's too late," Enzan said. "Echo is here."

**6**

Since the early afternoon, Imi flew on Falzer's wings. She soared on thermals and coasted across the continent. The speed of a cyberbeast far exceeded that of ordinary birds, and she had no trouble keeping pace with the train.

_I'm coming, Papa. Now, I can make you understand what I've been through._

Enzan had been all too right when he bluffed her out of touching him. The thought of living with another voice, another soloist to defy the choir, was too much to bear. Roll herself was more than enough.

'_And after you tricked Rockman, don't think I'm going away, Imi-chan.'_

Well, let no one say Roll wasn't determined.

At any rate, Enzan had been right. Could she really maintain control of her body against Roll and another? It was far too dangerous, too risky. More than that, Imi had no desire to live with a choir that would only grow and swell over time. The voices never disappeared completely. Even if she touched no one else for the rest of her life, those souls would always haunt her.

They chanted. _'Echo, Echo, Echo…'_

_But I am Imi, and if anyone is fit to judge me, if there's anyone I could accept hearing in my mind, it's Papa._

That was her mission this day. Since her father and brother had forsaken her at the Chandler, Imi resolved to make Hideki know the true brunt of her pain. Only then, if at all, could he really come to love her and feel compassion for her. He'd blinded himself with indignant rage and anger at her actions, but if she touched him, if she showed him all the quiet moments when the chorus of souls screamed and shrieked and deprived her of rest, then maybe he would understand.

_And if he doesn't, he'll be yelling along with them, and there'll be nothing for me here. There'll be no reason for me to exist._

And so, Imi hurtled among the clouds, waiting for an opportunity to dodge the wrath of the Net Saviors—Enzan, Raoul, and especially Netto. Rockman had stated in no uncertain terms that he relished Imi's peril, even if the thought of Roll enduring that agony made him pause.

'_I never should've asked him to kill me,'_ said Roll. _'That was…perversely cruel, and I had no idea I was talking to him! He was so sad, and he said he loved me…'_

_Maybe that's the way for us, Roll-san. We try for love, and we only find pain instead._

Afternoon turned to dusk, and dusk faded to night. Imi flew under the stars, circling, waiting for her chance. Perhaps she would have to attack directly, not wait for a special moment. She was hesitant to attack the train while it was in motion—that could hurt her father—but when were these Net Saviors going to stop? When would her opportunity come? That moment may never come, after all. That moment might—

The train slowed and halted. Enzan hopped out of a car and searched the area.

_This could be it._ Imi descended and landed far from the train, out of sight, but the dimensional area locked her out. Thus, she was a spectator as Enzan and Raoul fought off their suited attackers and Meiru summoned her viruses and snuck onto the train.

'_What's Meiru-chan doing?'_

_I think she's trying to save you._

But while Roll watched with worry and concern, Imi welcomed this chaos and commotion. There was conflict between the humans, and soon enough, the dimensional converters would run too hot and have to power down, cool off, and reset. They couldn't keep her out, even if they wanted to.

Faces in the dining car crowded about the window.

_They know I'm here._

And the dimensional area shimmered and collapsed.

_There's nothing they can do to stop me._

She stepped forward, like a girl on an evening stroll. One step at a time; she was in no hurry. The moment of truth was coming. Her father would accept her or reject her. Either way, there would be certainty in her life.

Shadows darted through the dining compartment. A couple dark figures dashed from car to car, but someone stayed behind.

_That's where we start._

Like a passenger, she hiked up the steps and pushed her way inside.

"Hello, Roll."

Meiru sat back in a booth and watched Imi's ascent.

"I…kind of messed up today," she said. "I wanted to save you, but by trying to, I ruined everything, and soon you'll be gone. Netto's already gone…"

'_I'm sorry, Meiru-chan.'_

"Enzan-san and Raoul-san are going to restart the dimensional converter?" said Imi.

Meiru nodded, and she glanced at the open compartment door.

_Must be that way._ Imi jumped with both feet between the cars and wandered through the sleeper compartment. Was this where her father was? "Papa?"

A new dimensional area formed around the train, and the multi-colored glow flooded through the windows…

…and under one door in particular.

"Papa!" She scurried to the room and flipped open the door—

"Rockbuster!"

PEW! The bolt blasted her through the sheet metal. She tumbled in the mud, and damaged data mixed with the fog in a blue haze.

"Netto-san," she murmured. "Rockman-san…"

"No, Imi-chan." R Rockman hovered over her in the breach. His stripes glowed, and despite the faint light, the sky blue hues of the Saito Style were clear. "It's just me."

'_No, not again! What is he doing? How can Netto-san let him do this?'_

He leveled the Rockbuster. PEW! The bolt splattered the mud in all directions. Imi scurried away. "You won't keep me from my Papa, Rockman-san!"

"I made a promise!" He jumped down and fired again. PEW!

"And I want my papa!" She readied a weapon, one guaranteed to give him pause: a pink bow with a heart-shaped arrow that she pointed at him, aimed for his chest.

But rather that freeze in surprise or stammer, Rockman gritted his teeth and cried, "You dare use Roll-chan's weapon against me? When she used that arrow, she used it for good! You disgrace her memory when you copy it!"

_Uh-oh…_

PEW!

"Dream Aura!" The cylindrical shield absorbed the brunt of the impact, but the center of the shot bled through and bored through her chest. She shrunk back and held her hand over the wound, and though it closed, the weakness kept her on her knees.

"Sonic Boom!" The gold wavefront hugged the ground and hurtled toward Imi.

"Paladin Sword." She chopped it in half, and the wave split in two.

"Elec Sword! Elec Beam!" Raoul leapt into the fray and swiped and zapped her.

"Aqua Shot!" Rockman blasted Imi with water, peeling her data away, and Raoul thrust! Current coursed through her body, and more data blistered off.

_Rockman-san is strong with this power of his, and angry too, but the others—they can be defeated easily. One-on-one I might have a chance._ She pounded her fist to the ground, and wooden spires shot from the earth.

"I've seen that before!" said Raoul, dancing between the pillars. "Flame Tower!"

The column of fire cut a clear, safe path.

"You haven't seen this." Imi went up to a Woody Tower and snapped it off at the base. She took the log and hurled it toward Raoul. "Mach Burst."

The wood splintered into a shower of lethal fragments. They bombarded Raoul and pinned him to the ground.

"You'll pay for that, Echo!" said Enzan. "Netto, program advance!"

Rockman nodded. "Spread Gun, triple slot-in!"

"Flame, Aqua, Elec—agh!"

_Oh no you don't. _Imi wrapped him in another vine. A second tendril picked up Raoul and did the same. _You're going to protect me now._

"Hyper Burst!"

The blue beam cracked like a thunderbolt. It seethed and burned like white fire and flew a straight and rigid path toward Imi…

…and her human shields. They let out a guttural cry, stopped only by agony and pain. The beam sheared their navis' data from their bodies, and when the fire cleared, Imi's vines dropped them to the ground alongside their PETs. Their clothes smoked and burned against their skin.

Imi herself hadn't fared much better. She touched her arm, and loose data stuck to her finger and dissipated. She stumbled away. _Need to get somewhere, somewhere I can run…_

But Rockman stalked her. He wouldn't let her get away. Not this time.

—

_This is wrong, nii-san._

It was a faint, distant whisper. In the heat of battle, Rockman repressed as much as he could of Netto's spirit, and to tell the truth, the younger brother had gladly lent his brother the power to defeat Imi.

But now he was regretting it. Rockman retained control, however, so Netto's voice was a mere afterthought in the back of his mind.

_This is wrong. You shouldn't be doing this. Go back to Enzan and Raoul; make sure they're all right._

'_I won't let Imi-chan get away again.'_

He pounced at her feet, just one step behind. She scurried and fled, but the area kept her contained. There was nowhere for her to go. There was only a rock she could cling to as her feet gave way and Rockman towered over her.

"Please, Rockman-san!" she begged him. "I just want to see my Papa!"

"You've hurt too many people, Imi-chan. It started with Cardman, and it didn't stop with Roll-chan, either, did it? You're still hurting her."

"But what about Roll-san? What about—"

He extended his right arm, and a blue-white blade engulfed his hand. "Sword."

"Mach—gah!" The wave sputtered out at her fingertips and shook more data from her hand.

'_That means this should be overkill. It will be quick, just like Roll-chan deserves.'_ He lowered his left hand, and another blade took it over. "Wide Sword."

_She's helpless! This isn't what Roll wants; this is murder!_

'_I know you disapprove, Netto-kun, but I must finish it. I have to…' _He drew the two blades overhead. "Long Sword."

The swords coalesced. The single blade over Netto's—Rockman's—head danced and steadied itself, and Rockman gripped the base. "Dream—"

_No, nii-san, this is wrong! Do you hear me? THIS IS WRONG!_

The blade destabilized and shattered. "No! Netto-kun, what are you—"

But it wasn't just the blade. His armor, his helmet—they disintegrated. Rockman leveled the buster on Imi one last time, but it too turned to dust. The PET emerged from the scattered data, and Netto, really Netto, caught it and slid it into his shoulder case.

Breathe in, breathe out. They were his breaths again, not his brother's. _I'm in control._

"Why did you do that, Netto-kun? Why?"

"Because this isn't what we do," said Netto. "As much as Echo deserves it…" He shook his head. "It's not just what you do; it's why you do it."

"Netto-san, thank you," said Imi, and she trotted back toward the train.

"Put the Synchro Chip back in!" said Rockman. "Hurry!"

Netto fingered the chip as it slid out of his PET, but he pocketed it instead and set his sights on Imi, who made for the train.

—

"Papa!"

She stumbled and tripped every other step, but it mattered not. She returned to the broken sleeper compartment, where Enzan and Raoul spat out the dirt in their mouths and Meiru nursed their wounds. "Imi!" she cried, reaching for her battle chip gate.

But Imi passed them right by, and Meiru hesitated with a chip at the ready.

'_She doesn't want to hurt me,'_ said Roll.

_Please, Papa, just be here._ Imi climbed into the breach, the one Rockman had opened with his buster. It was a chore, to be sure, as she scraped her body trying to lift herself into the hole, but it paid off, and when she made it into the gap, she panted and held herself, hoping to stay together.

A shadow darted from the nearby room and ran for the end of the compartment.

"Papa!"

He jiggled and banged on the door to the next car, but it warped and bent and wouldn't budge.

"Please, Papa," Imi said, cornering him. "I just want to show you who I am now. If you can't accept that, if you can't love me after that…then it's over. I promise."

He kicked the metal frame, slammed his shoulder against the window, but—

She touched his wrist, held it firm.

"_I need you to do something for me,"_ Enzan said.

Imi frowned. "What is this?"

The images coursed through her mind. A busy rail station, with people held back by barricades. As Raoul and Netto loaded equipment on board, Enzan spoke.

"Go into the bathroom," he said. "Take this bag; there are clothes inside and an umbrella to hide your face. Let no one see you. When you get into the car, pick a room. I'll tell Netto to leave the lights off and let you sleep. Don't speak. Do you understand?"

"But what about Dr. Nakamura?" said a voice.

"We don't have him," Enzan said. "We never did. He got away from the Chandler. Saying that we captured him was—is—the only way to make Echo come to us."

_He—he lied!_ Imi released her grasp, and a boyish face met her gaze.

"He asked me to," said Calloway. "No one was supposed to know." _'But now you do, and you're going to kill me, aren't you?'_

She closed her eyes and forced the Paladin Sword to engulf her hand. The blade wobbled and wavered, but she didn't need it for every long. Just for a second, just for—

He ran; he pushed her aside and made for the breach. "Help me! Someone, please! She's—"

The diamond-tipped blade sank in his back, and he collapsed to the ground.

'_I was just doing my job; I was just…'_

The blade shattered, and she gripped her hand; it rattled in pain. She dragged herself to another room, one on the opposite side of the train and away from Netto and the others. She slid open the window, jumped, and broke for the fog line.

_Have to go; have to get out of here. Have to find Papa and make him understand…_

—

"It was just by chance that he was there."

Net Police officers scoured the scene for debris. The signal jammers scattered through the train were switched off and dumped into a box. Enzan sat up in the mud, and paramedics tended to his wounds. Netto and Meiru hovered over the body of Corporal Calloway, which had fallen over the tracks. To give him some dignity, they'd dragged him to level ground and closed his eyes.

"I asked someone to be assigned to watch Netto," Enzan explained, "and when I decided we could use a train to lure Echo out of the city, I thought it would be best if we had someone who resembled Nakamura-hakase in a superficial way. Someone who could convince Echo that her father was on board."

"We never had him," said Raoul. "And you didn't tell any of us?"

Enzan shook his head.

"We looked all around," said Netto. "Couldn't find Echo."

"We were in no condition to fight her even if we did find her," said Enzan, pressing his hand against a burn on his face.

"If Netto-kun hadn't let her get away, Corporal Calloway would be alive," said Rockman.

"You were going to kill her," said Netto, "and there wasn't anyone to save."

"But—"

"Let it go, nii-san. We nearly killed Enzan and Raoul today. This power—it's too much!"

"You can't lose the will to fight now!" said Rockman. "Roll-chan and Imi-chan are still out there!"

Netto shook his head. "Let it go."

"No!"

Raoul, Enzan, Meiru, and Netto stared at the navi.

"Netto-kun, if you won't keep hunting for Imi-chan, then…I'll do it myself!"

Netto frowned. "You—you can't!"

The blue navi disappeared from his operator's shoulder, and the green screen of the PET was blank as well.

'_Don't worry, Roll-chan. I'm coming to get you.'_

"No!" said Netto. "Rockman…Saito-nii-san…"

'_I won't fail you again. Imi-chan won't sully your memory anymore.'_

"Nii-san! Nii-san!" Netto shook the PET, but more than the little blue case, he was shaking himself. "Don't leave me! Don't go alone!"

'_Roll-chan…Roll-chan…'_

He cried. He wiped the mud and dirt into his eyes to brush the tears away, but he didn't care. Even tethered together, his brother was leaving him. His brother—

"Netto."

Meiru held his hand. She knew what it was like to lose a navi, didn't she? But to lose a sibling, a brother…

'_She might leave you, too, like Roll-chan left me.'_

But for now, her grip was firm and steady. Should he drift in the memory of his brother's sorrows, Meiru would be his anchor. Meiru could bring him back.

_I don't care._

He wrapped his arm around her, and his tears dripped down her neck.

"It's all right, Netto," she said. "I'm here."

She was here, and with Rockman wandering the net, _here_ was all that mattered.

'_Be happy with Meiru-chan, Netto-kun. Maybe she can show you the joy that Roll-chan wanted to show me.'_

_Nii-san…_

'_Goodbye.'_


	18. Pilgrimage

**Pilgrimage  
Chapter Fifteen**

"Why do I get the feeling you're not being entirely truthful?"

A man, a soldier of Sharo, unbuttoned his heavy green coat and tilted his red beret. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't," said the woman on the other end of the line. She brushed a strand of light blonde hair from her eye and locked her gaze upon him. "I'm sure it's business as usual for you to get in around five in the morning."

"Four-thirty," said Laika, taking a corner in an empty hallway. "You should know this by now."

"I'm sorry," said Pride. "I've just been so busy lately…" Her eyes drooped, and she chuckled. "How can I say that? I'm not the one fighting a war for the glory of Sharo, am I?"

"It's not for _glory_…"

She blinked. "Oh, how would you describe it then? Mother Sharo is merely 'defending her ancestral right to what the international community has illegally insisted upon calling Belsharo and Platvia and—' "

"I'm just doing what I'm told to do," muttered Laika. "I serve my country, and I serve it well. I always have, and I hope to do so until the day I die."

"My father's going to make an official protest today, you know," said Pride. "He says that the Creamland-Sharo Cross Fusion Research Institute was not intended for petty territorial conflicts."

Laika glanced over his shoulder and around another corner. "I don't blame him."

Pride leaned forward. "Really? You mean that?"

"I will admit that this is…not what I envisioned doing when I returned home."

She sighed. "I don't think either of us could've envisioned doing what we do now." She wiped her eyes and sat her head on her hands. "What's in store for you today?"

"Briefings, I'm sure," said Laika. "Training new recruits on cyberwarfare. Maybe a mission, maybe not. I can't be more specific than that."

"I see."

"And you, princess?"

"Pardon?"

"What does the Princess of Creamland have scheduled?"

Her gaze drifted to the ceiling. "Well, I should be up in about three hours. I have to get dressed and do my makeup—that'll take at least another hour, maybe two, depending on how picky Mother is today. Then I'll have to speed through the fact sheet on this duke my father wants me to meet because it'd be nice to know what a noble from the coast does for a living and how he spends his spare time before he offers you his hand in marriage, don't you think?"

Laika tugged on his tie. "I end up reading a lot of personnel files. If it helps, I can give you some tips on speed reading—for the biography, of course."

"I don't think I really want to read it," said Pride. "I think I'd rather run away from the palace, from royal life—"

"Again?"

Pride narrowed her eyes. Rather than answer his question, she changed the subject. "Did you hear the news? About Echo?"

The vast windows of the Institute's control room were black and foggy. Laika strolled by with only a glance. "I heard there was another death."

"What would you think if I went there?"

"Officially or unofficially?"

"Need you even ask?"

Laika grimaced. "I'm sure with sufficient force we could easily dispatch of Echo, but—"

"So you're saying I'm not sufficient?"

"I'm saying I'd rather be there with you. You and Enzan and Raoul may not be—"

"Don't forget Netto. He's there somewhere; count on it."

Laika ascended a dim staircase and tightened his coat. "I hope so."

"Where are you going?"

"Checking the dimensional generator dishes."

"For Sharo's military operations?"

"Not exactly." Laika turned a doorknob and stepped onto the roof. Floodlights illuminated the metal superstructure that supported the two dishes, and a barbed-wire fence lined the edge of the rooftop.

"Well, everything seems to be—"

A single shadow moved amongst a thousand others. It disappeared in the metalwork; the frame blocked the source.

"What is it, Laika?"

"I'll call you back."

Pride vanished from the screen, and in her place, a navi tightened his green helmet and stood ready with his rifle.

"Searchman," said Laika, "hook into the security system. What do you see?"

Red and blue hues danced on the screen over Searchman's eye. "There's a heat source behind dish number one."

"A person?"

"I don't think so."

Laika eyed the web of steel crossbars. "Let's find out, then." He tip-toed to the generator dish with the utmost care. He stepped silently; he breathed in rhythm, so not even his own ears could hear the air as it passed through his lips. His training had taught him how to be stealthy, how to sneak up on an opponent unawares, and he didn't need Searchman's cloaking skill to accomplish that. That was what separated him from the other Net Saviors—they would rely on Cross Fusion too heavily. They didn't use their eyes or their minds.

And his eyes spotted the prize: a soft, curved shadow, one that protruded from the silhouette of the dish ever-so-slightly. This was the sign of the enemy, and now, Laika would surprise him.

Laika squared his PET in his hands and held the face outward. He wheeled around the corner of the dish supports and shined the light on his opponent!

And Imi raised her white glove over his face; her pupils contracted, adjusting to the light. "It's been a while, Laika-san, Searchman-san."

"Echo!" said Laika.

"Enzan-san and Raoul-san have kept me from my papa for too long," said Imi. "They need generators like these to fight me effectively, don't they."

She turned her hand toward the first dish, and air and space bent around her fingertips. The Mach Burst shattered the metalwork, and the dish smashed into the rooftop, warped and bent.

"And now," she said, "for the other one…"

A white beam shot from the second dish into the sky, and it gave way to a dimensional area that enclosed the building.

"I anticipated you would request it, Master Laika," said Searchman.

"You anticipate well," said the soldier of Sharo.

"Like that will save you," said Imi. She pointed her fingers at the second dish, and—

"You might want to save yourself first!" Laika fished through his pocket and rolled a tiny green sphere on the floor. Imi shielded herself from the Deconstruction Device and its dismantling effects, but when the lightning cleared, Laika was nowhere in sight.

"It's a pathetic weapon, Laika-san!" she called. "Enzan-san and Raoul-san gave up on those long ago!"

Laika crept in the shadows. If he could only get her off this rooftop…or maybe, if he injured her, she would flee rather than stand and fight, maybe—

"I didn't come here to play," said Imi. "There are so many more of these across the world, after all." She readied another burst.

"Satellite Ray!"

The beam cut her down mid-attack, and instead, she destroyed the solar panel on Laika's minion, taking out his remote weapon.

"Scope Gun!"

TCH-CHEW! The shot blasted her shoulder, and her right arm plopped on the floor and disintegrated.

"It will take more than that," said Imi, pulsing with a white glow.

TCH-CHEW! But she absorbed the bolt, and her arm grew back in an instant. "Rockman-san gave me that power," she explained. "It's kind of risky; you can only absorb so much, but I'd say it works, don't you think?"

She toppled the second generator dish with a Mach Burst, and Searchman's armor dissolved, reforming into Laika's PET.

"Take care, Laika-san," said Imi, "and Searchman-san." She jumped down a Rush Hole, and all was quiet.

"Laika!" A holo-screen reappeared, and Pride was frantic on the other end. "Is it true? There's an attack on the Institute?"

Laika brushed the dust and debris from his coat and gazed across the wreckage. "There _was_ an attack."

"What happened?"

"Echo destroyed both generator dishes."

Pride gasped. "After all these weeks…I knew she would come, you know! I told my father; you told your government…it was only a matter of time."

Laika lowered his PET. He crouched among the bent metal and turned a crushed bolt around in his palm.

"You don't seem too upset," said Pride.

"Our governments," he said, "our people—they won't let this go, will they?"

"I expect they shouldn't."

He nodded. "They shouldn't. They will demand Echo's deletion. I suspect she's attacking other generators around the world, and they too will insist upon her demise. You know what that means, don't you?"

At first, Pride looked back at him blankly, but then the smile formed on her lips.

"I think you should come to Sharo, princess," said Laika. "The Cross Fusion Members must be assembled."

He dropped the broken bolt on the floor, and it bounced at his feet.

"Now," he said, "we have reason to fight."

**1**

"And we've just learned this hour that twenty-two-year-old Corey Calloway, a corporal in the Net Police, died last night in Echo's attack on Magnets Industries levitation train. Corporal Calloway's death has been called _needless_ by leading Members of Parliament, who have condemned the Net Police's subterfuge in claiming the capture of Dr. Hideki Nakamura. Attempts to contact Net Savior Enzan Ijuuin for comment have been rebuffed as—"

"Codey, turn it off."

"Yes, Papa." The holo-screen cut out, and Codey's projection rested on his father's shoulder. "Why do you think they said they'd captured you?"

Nakamura Hideki folded his legs and put his back to brickwork. "To draw out Imi, I'm sure."

"Onee-san?"

"She's not _really_ your sister, you know."

"You made her before me. That makes her _onee-san_, doesn't it?"

Hideki sighed. "I suppose it does."

"Has onee-san always been the way she is, Papa?"

"What way is that?"

"You know…"

Hideki eyed both ends of the street, but the pedestrians, the passers-by—they paid him no heed. To them, he was invisible, worth no more attention that the dirt he sat on. In part, Hideki counted on this effect: it allowed him to hide in broad daylight and stay warm, rather than freeze in shadow.

"No, she wasn't always this way," said Hideki. "I made you and Imi for Masuyo, my daughter. I chose Imi to be her companion, her navi, for my own reasons. Masuyo was dying, you see, and there was little to be done about it, at least with conventional medicine, so I made Imi to keep her company, to manage the things that Masuyo could no longer handle herself anymore."

Codey gazed at his father; the narrative entranced him. "What happened next?"

"There isn't a 'next.' Masuyo passed away, Imi went insane, and that's the end of it."

The boy narrowed his eyes. "There has to be something, Papa."

Hideki looked away, to the clouds and skyscrapers. "I began to worry."

"Why?"

"You and Imi—you both have gimmicks. Your gimmick you know well enough. Imi's—"

"Is to copy things."

"That's what it was supposed to be—things, inanimate, or at the worst, vaguely animate but otherwise dubiously sentient things. She wasn't supposed to imitate people; she wasn't supposed to imitate Masuyo."

"Did onee-san touch her?" asked Codey. "Did she…kill her?"

Hideki chuckled. "No, no, this was before she acquired that power, and I think she'd rather die than hurt Masuyo. No, Imi cared for her very much. I remember we were at the airport, back in Japan. We were coming here, actually, to Ameroupe, but Masuyo was tired. We'd left early, and it was going to be a long flight. Masuyo was nodding off in her wheelchair, but Imi—she was bouncing off the walls. It was—have I ever taken you to an airport, Codey?"

"No, Papa."

"They're not all the same. Some are busier than others. Back home, there are great windows that let you see the planes as they taxi to the runway, as they fire up their jets and make for the sky. And Imi, you see, was totally fascinated by that. She found the whole place wondrous; she wanted to see more, but Masuyo was so, so tired. She hardly had the energy to drive her wheelchair around, so Imi volunteered to take over. Masuyo plugged her in and held the PET over her lap to help Imi drive, and wham! The wheelchair blazed through the terminal! I think that was the first time Masuyo was really awake that morning because when Imi took off, her eyes went so wide! She babbled at Imi to stop and worked the joystick control, but the chair just kept on going; Imi was having a blast, and she just couldn't get enough. In retrospect, I think I see why. It was her first chance to affect the real world, after all, aside from Masuyo."

"Weren't you scared, Papa? If Masuyo-chan was going so fast—"

"Oh, I was terrified! Here my daughter had slipped out right under my nose and was screaming all down the walkway, and her navi was just ooh-ing and ahh-ing like it was the coolest thing in the world! I think about three hundred meters down the line Masuyo had the presence of mind to plug Imi out, but Imi was so thrilled that Masuyo let her drive back if she would go slow. And Imi did, after all. She listened to Masuyo, except when she got carried away…" Hideki frowned. He pressed his lips together and rubbed his jaw. "She could get carried away so easily."

"Do you worry about what onee-san's done?"

"All the time, Codey. All the time."

"Isn't there something we can do, then?"

Hideki shook his head. "Your sister became something I didn't anticipate. When I made her, there were two things I missed: one was her touch-sensitive ability, and to this day, the voices and souls of people and navis she's touched lay dormant within her…"

He closed his eyes. An anxious, fearful shriek resonated through his skull. Right before him, in the ruined confines of the Chandler Hotel's thirty-first floor, Imi as he knew her gave way, and another navi, clad in gentle pinks and soft yellows, emerged from her form, puzzled and shocked at her own life.

"…some of them not so dormant," said Hideki, opening his eyes to the bustling city streets.

"And the second thing you missed, Papa?" asked Codey.

"I'd given her a mission in life," said Hideki. "I asked her to care for Masuyo, and she did, but when Masuyo was gone…I didn't give her a new task. I had nothing left for her to do, so she chose a new purpose instead."

Across the street, large screens heralded the news of the hour: images of carnage, of cracked satellite dishes and wrecked buildings headlined the day. Echo, it seemed, had been busy, for since early that morning, she'd visited Sharo, Kingland, Japan, and a host of other countries, demolishing their dimensional area generators.

"Maybe we can do something," said Codey. "To help her, or…"

"She's too far gone," said Hideki. "You said it yourself: she left you to that Ijuuin Enzan and his Net Saviors."

"She's still my sister. You should do something for her, Papa—for her or _about_ her."

Hideki sighed. "I suppose there is one person…"

"Yes? Yes?"

"Look through the PET. There should be contact information there. We're going to call someone, Codey."

"Who is it?"

Hideki rose and brushed the dust from his pants. He started walking, for the talk he was about to have he couldn't hold in the open.

"His name is Yuuichirou…"

—

Yuuichirou. Hikari Yuuichirou scoured graphs and charts and raw tables of data. His eyes scanned each new piece of information, for each new number, each flickering needle line (virtual as it may be) spoke to him. They carried the promise of a cure for his sons, a means to end their mutual discomfort and perhaps, even, a way to bring his wayward boy back home.

Naturally it would help if he had some idea what these numbers were telling him. Every hour this ordeal wore on, Yuuichirou pondered how easy it would be to ram his fist through these infernal machines, smash these demonic abominations of steel frame and copper wire. They told him nothing! They frustrated him with tortuous silence; they buried the secrets to helping Netto and Saito and laughed at him, mocked his pursuit of knowledge, for it was a futile one indeed. So they would say.

To Yuuichirou's surprise, Netto bore the burden in quiet contemplation. He sat in an examination chair as his father stuck electrodes to his head, and despite the passage of time, he said little, complained not at all. This unnerved Yuuichirou, for while it might've comforted him—thinking that his son was strong and could withstand any weight or strain—this would've been little more than delusion. Behind Netto's silence, there was only one explanation, one that the electroencephalograms and brain activity scans all bore out:

He was talking to Saito.

He was talking to Saito, and Yuuichirou would always be on the outside of these conversations, helpless to eavesdrop or intervene. He asked questions, of course. "Where is Saito now? What does he plan to do?"

"If I tell you, he'll go somewhere else," said Netto, and that was all there was to it. How strange indeed, to have a brother estranged from you, who'd chosen to leave and set his own path, yet day or night, rain or shine, he was no more than a thought away. It was a perverse, twisted business.

Thus, when Yuuichirou found someone calling on him, he welcomed the distraction. He needed time to focus his thoughts, reconsider his strategy in freeing Netto of this link, if he even should at all. "If you do break the link, Papa," said Netto, "I won't know where nii-san is going. I won't know if he's safe…"

But such links work both ways. Yuuichirou answered the call, and when Nakamura's face plastered across the screen, he slammed the lid shut and stared at his son. _What's going to happen now? If Netto hears me talking to Nakamura, Saito would hear too, and he'd try to find him…_ Not that this was a bad idea in and of itself, but Yuuichirou hoped to disentangle his sons from the mess of Imi and Nakamura. Family should come first, after all, and this was no business for Netto and Saito, not now.

Yuuichirou unplugged his laptop and retreated to the living room.

"Is that a habit of yours?" asked Nakamura.

"My situation is complicated," said Yuuichirou. "What do you want? Two months since you fled to Ameroupe, and now you call me?"

"I saw what Imi did. I know she's making more trouble, hurting people—"

"You say that like it's news."

Nakamura groaned. "Look, I know you must be working with the Net Saviors. I have no desire to see Imi inflict more bloodshed."

Yuuichirou narrowed his eyes. This dirty, filthy vagrant of a man reached out to _him_, and all Yuuichirou wanted to do was deck him. What gall he had to call him up now, when two months ago his help could've disabled Imi before she slaughtered Roll. Were it not for that, his sons would be safe and secure at home, probably free of the link that bound them. For too long, Nakamura enjoyed freedom from responsibility, and what did he think now? That he could atone for his cowardice in one fell swoop?

Still, Yuuichirou throttled his temper. Netto and Saito's well-being hung in the balance, along with the lives of innocents, Imi's would-be victims. "What are you suggesting?" he asked.

"I have information about Imi," said Nakamura. "Take it; use it; do whatever you will with it. If it'll help, I'll gladly provide."

Yuuichirou scoffed. "_You_ programmed her."

"I can't fix her."

Ingrate. Yuuichirou exploded. "That's your job! You want to do something about Imi? Turn yourself in! Help the Net Police stop her!"

Nakamura vacillated. "I—I can't…"

"Call me back when you're a little less weak-minded, then," said Yuuichirou.

"But—"

Yuuichirou tapped the _escape_ key, and Nakamura disappeared. Yuuichirou's self-righteous stolidity soon gave way to fear, however.

_I didn't get any of the information he was going to give me…_

Granted, it would probably take weeks, if not months, to sort through a program as complex as Imi's, but lacking Nakamura's help (which he _should_ provide, honestly!), it was better than nothing, yet Yuuichirou had hung up…

…with nothing.

"Enzan-kun!" Yuuichirou dashed up the stairs, but Enzan blazed past, zipping up his vest. "Enzan-kun, what's happening?"

"There's been an attack," said Enzan. "Echo's set her sights on our replacement generators. She—" He stopped. In the hallway to the training room, Netto looked on, grim and wary.

"He knows," said Netto. "We need to get there."

—

Four entered the limousine and sped to the attack site. Raoul pressed his sole against the pedal and fired up the police siren. Enzan, at shotgun, monitored the battle in progress, but on the horizon, smoke and flames plumed. In the back seat, Netto tied his bandana over his eyes, keeping Imi's location secret from his brother, but so blinded, he fidgeted, restless. Only a soft, slender hand kept him rooted and stable, yet its owner had doubts of her own.

_Now I know how Rockman must feel. I let her go, too._

Meiru glued her eyes to the window. If only she could catch a glimpse of Imi, of Roll…

A blue beam shattered the pavement, and chunks of asphalt pounded the street. The ground rumbled; the impacts startled Raoul, and he swerved impulsively before resuming his steady course.

_I had a clear shot; if I'd even tapped her, she would've fallen apart, but I couldn't do that to Roll, not again, not—_

Netto squeezed her hand. Perhaps he sensed her anticipation, the sweat on her palms. Whatever it was, he responded like he knew her state of mind, even though he couldn't see it on her face. "You can't blame yourself, Meiru."

"Did you regret it?" she asked him. "When you stopped Rockman, and then she killed Calloway?"

"I don't like that it happened, but…" He bowed his head; the words escaped him.

_I think that's how everyone is right now._

SCREECH! Raoul jammed on the brakes, and a semi-truck skidded across an intersection and toppled a lamppost.

"This is as close as we're going to get!" said Enzan. "Raoul, let's go! Sakurai, Netto, there are jammers in the trunk. Spread them around the perimeter; don't let Echo get away!"

"Perimeter?" said Meiru. "What perimeter? What—"

CRUNCH! A humvee barreled through the smashed cars, and in its trail, a pair of dimensional converters streaked by with a light blue glow. The vehicle ground to a halt at the center of the intersection, and a dimensional area formed around it and the remaining elements of the convoy. As Enzan and Raoul slotted in their Synchro Chips to defend the converter, Meiru staggered outside the limo and watched from the area wall.

"They're counting on us," she said. She leaned into the limo and helped Netto to his feet. "Come on!" she said. "They're counting on us!"

"Can't let him see," said Netto, tightening his blindfold. "If he sees, he'll know, and he'll come after her."

In the area, Imi descended from on high and blasted the converters; Raoul dug his heels in the ground, supporting a Dream Aura against a white-hot Sunbeam. Enzan's Vulcan fire sniped at Imi, but she dodged and darted between skyscrapers.

"At least take the Battle Chip Gate!" said Meiru, hacking at a sealed box of signal jammers. "You're probably better at it than I am anyway!"

"I'm sorry," said Netto. "I can't…"

Meiru stuffed her bag with the devices and dragged him along with her. "I can't leave you here blind and alone." She led him along the ruined streets and tossed signal jammers at the base of the area, slowly trapping Imi in a web of wireless noise.

But Enzan and Raoul had far too much on their plate to defend. Without the network of worldwide generators, the converter truck was the only way to maintain a dimensional area and fight Imi on level ground. At the same time, the broken convoy scattered; some had escaped the area completely, but others split up inside the dome, restricted to its impenetrable confines. As Raoul stood guard at the converter truck and lobbed lightning bolts at Imi, Enzan intercepted her and swiped at the air, mining her path with Sonic Booms. In the end, however, they were only two, and the targets under their charge were many. Enzan lost sight of Imi in an alley, for she took to the sky and doubled back on Falzer's wings. Despite Meiru's cries and frantic pointing ("She's there, Enzan! She's over there!"), the boy Ijuuin was far too late: Imi melted the replacement generator dish under ten-thousand-degree flames.

And then, she set her sights on the perimeter, where Meiru, jammer in hand, cradled the blind Netto.

The little black box clinked on the pavement, and Imi grinned. "Spike Tower."

The earth rumbled beneath Meiru's feet, and sightless Netto wobbled and flailed.

"Netto, MOVE!"

She tackled the boy, and the stone spike splintered the signal jammer. They rolled away from cracked asphalt, and Meiru dusted herself off…

…with Netto's blue bandana in hand.

"He's coming." Netto tried to look away, but Meiru watched his eyes take in every detail, and in doing so, he all but told Rockman where they were.

"I don't understand," said Meiru. "What can Rockman do?"

Netto pointed. A mammoth tower crane loomed overhead. The boom tilted downward, and a magnetic hook yanked a parked car off the street. The mass of steel beams and sheet metal swung overhead; the magnet switched off, and the sedan crashed onto Imi, burying her under the engine block.

"Could she…?" Meiru inched forward, but the wall of the dimensional area stood in her way. "Is she…?"

"He doesn't think so," said Netto.

Indeed, the crane lifted another vehicle—a black SUV—and lined it up with the first wreck.

TCH-CHEW! A solid pink beam cut through the crane arm, cutting it off at the joint. The magnet assembly and its load shattered the sidewalk and knocked out the windows in adjacent buildings, and Imi presided over the mayhem, apparently unscathed.

"It's useless!" said Meiru. "Rockman can't do anything to her, not like this!"

Netto fumbled through his pockets and produced a chip. It bore a green circle on sky blue background, with curved black lines around the edges. "He wants me to," said Netto. "If I do, then he'll come back, and we can…we can…"

Imi took off again. She slashed at Enzan and buried Raoul under a pile of boulders.

"Come on!" Meiru hooked up her Battle Chip Gate and sent geysers and lightning bolts chasing after Imi, but the white navi disappeared in smoke and rubble. "Netto," Meiru said, "are you—"

He shook his head, palmed the chip, and slid it back in his pocket. "I already decided," he said. "I'm going to stick with it."

Boom. Falling debris sprinkled the street. Netto and Meiru hiked along the perimeter of the area, just in time to see Imi hop down a Rush Hole. Enzan and Raoul staggered to the ruined van, and after the area fell, Enzan examined a charred piece of wire and circuit boards.

"This was the generator assembly," he said with a sigh. "With Echo's attacks on the other generators…there aren't many left."

Meiru tugged on Netto's sleeve. "Do you think you could've saved it?" she asked. "If you and Rockman—"

"I might've." He squinted. "If I had," he said, "it wouldn't have been about saving the generator or helping Enzan or Raoul."

Sunlight bounced off the rising dust, casting a blinding glare over the scene.

"It would've been all about Imi," he explained. "Imi and Roll."

The gray dust settled on Meiru's neck like a nasty, dry film.

"Come on," said Netto. "Let's go home."

**2**

Steam. It rose in puffs and columns; it hung in the air like a warm blanket to insulate against the cold, but it was, of course, wet and drippy, and it beaded on the skin. A warm, wet blanket perhaps, for a bath in a tropical ocean.

With old people.

The sick, weak, and infirm waded into the pools, and as hot water lapped against their skin, they closed their eyes and smiled. The miracle of the springs loosened their creaky joints, cleared their clogged airways. For what time they had in the water, they could breathe again. They could breathe and move and sing.

"And that's what we do here," said a woman, dabbing the fog from her glasses. As her patients found relief in the pools, tears crept to the corners of her eyes. "It brings me such joy, to see people come here and find a cure for their ills." She leaned over and held her newest patient's hand. "I hope we can help you too, Miss Masuyo. I know you and your father have come a long way."

Masuyo bowed slightly, as much as she could in her wheelchair. "I'm hoping so too, Mrs. Donnelly. Papa says if there's a place that can cure me, it's here."

"Well he sure is right about that," said Mrs. Donnelly with a smile. She straightened her back and looked to Hideki. "There are changing rooms down the hall; don't hesitate to give me a ring if you need anything, but if you'll excuse me, I must make the rounds. Welcome again, doctor, Masuyo."

"Thank you," said Hideki.

At that, Mrs. Donnelly patrolled the pools, checking in with patients and asking them about their loved ones, their friends. She knew everyone by name and lamented that some of the faces she'd seen the month before were no longer with them.

"I don't know about this place…" From her PET, Imi projected herself into Masuyo's lap and looked out at the pools. "Everyone's so old here," said Imi. "Old or sick."

"I'm sick too, Imi," said her operator.

"But you're Masuyo-chan! You're not like these people. They're wrinkled and achey. They're _dying_."

Masuyo and her father exchanged a glance.

"I don't think you belong here with them," Imi declared. "Besides, it doesn't look like much anyway. It looks kind of boring." She closed her eyes, and her voiced changed, mimicking Mrs. Donnelly. " 'It brings me such joy to see people dip their feet in the water and splash around like jellyfish.' " She giggled, and Masuyo laughed with her.

Hideki's brow creased.

"Is something wrong, Papa?" asked Imi.

"No!" he said. "Nothing wrong."

"I don't know," said Masuyo. "I think it's going to be fun. It looks like fun."

"Are you sure?" said Imi.

"I'm sure. You can come, too. They have guards to keep the PET dry."

"Really?" said Imi. "Okay! Let's go!"

Masuyo turned her wheelchair around and headed down the hall to the changing room, and Hideki waited outside, tapping his foot and frowning, in part because the water guard was stubborn and wouldn't quite bend around Imi's PET.

In part. "I think, Imi, you should be careful about who you imitate," said Hideki.

"Why is that, Papa?"

"Just exercise some judgment if you can."

"I'll try."

The black plastic guard snapped into place. A snug fit, but one worthy of water.

"Papa," said Imi. "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Is Masuyo-chan dying?"

"No," said Hideki. "What gave you that idea?"

"You spent a lot of money for us to come here, didn't you?"

"Anything for Masuyo."

Imi nodded. "That's why you made me, right?"

"That's right."

"To imitate things."

Hideki tilted his head. "That's what I'm saying, Imi: not everything _should_ be imitated."

"I understand."

Masuyo wheeled herself back into the hall, clad in a dark green one-piece bathing suit. "Are you ready, Imi?"

"Yeah, let's go!"

Thus, navi and operator ventured to the springs, and their father trailed them, not far behind.

—

_It's so different now…_

Indeed, in the present day, the springs still steamed, but the wooden floorboards of the patio rotted. The rocky paths between pools were jagged, and weeds overgrew them. The tearful Mrs. Donnelly, whom Imi had teased, was nowhere to be found, but let nothing be uncertain: the spa was still a sanctuary. It was no longer a home for the sick and wounded, however. It was merely home…for Imi.

_The only place I have to go, for everything else is forbidden to me._

Not so much _forbidden_ as _unsafe_, really. There are good things about the net, of course. You have access to limitless information, and people and navis around the world can converse and interact in the blink of an eye, but there's one big drawback:

The net can be turned off. Once in a network, it's a trivial matter to isolate that network and thus find oneself in the perfect cage. No, there's no safe harbor in the net; should Enzan and his crew find her hiding in a dishwasher or a traffic light, they would bottle her up and delete her outright.

Thus, she turned to old memories. Months ago, Hideki dipped into their fragile finances, not for a cure for Masuyo but a treatment—he prayed the pools would relax the progression of symptoms, slow the tide of her paralysis and failing coordination. Would the clear waters and warm ground soothe her aches and calm her nerves? Could it, just maybe, take her out of that wheelchair and put her on her own two feet again?

A wooden rafter snapped and thudded on the floor.

_Obviously not._

Imi knew not when the Donnellys' spa failed. It could've been a short time ago (although that felt unlikely) or right after Hideki and Masuyo packed their bags and returned to Japan…

…_to let Masuyo-chan die at home._

Whatever the reasons, whatever the timing, the closure of the spa was appropriate somehow. It was a symbol: not of death or illness or suffering, however. The truth was far simpler than that.

_The spa closed; Masuyo-chan died. Everything I did—everything _we_ did for her was useless. Everything we did was futile._

And so, it seemed, was the search for her father. Since the battle at the Chandler, he'd vanished like a ghost, and Enzan eagerly used this to lure her in, a wicked deception. It was in her anger that she thrashed the remaining dimensional area generators, hoping to stem the threat that Enzan and his colleagues posed, but this posed a conundrum: she could stamp out the generators worldwide, but all it had done was kick over the anthill. The colony remained, and those meddling Net Saviors would swarm her like worker ants with their converters instead. More than that, all her trouble had done nothing to reveal her father's whereabouts.

_If I could just touch him—if I could make him see and feel what I feel—_

'_It won't make him love you, Imi-chan.'_

Even now, Roll tainted her thoughts, poisoned her mind with doubt, distrust, and deception. Imi wouldn't let her choir dominate her, however. _You wish you had my powers, don't you, Roll-san? Maybe, if you could've shown Rockman-san your true feelings, things would've gone differently, and you wouldn't have told me to give up on Papa. You wouldn't be dead now._

'_I'm dead because you killed me.'_

Imi rolled her eyes. While true, this was a minor detail at best. Her mention of Rockman had struck a chord, and the piano wire was ripe to snap. She closed her eyes, and the spa went far away. She was in the choir hall, bathing in the spotlight, and Roll, her only councilor, stared at her harshly, but Imi had a plan, and Roll knew it.

"You worry about him, don't you," said Imi.

Roll shook her head.

"He took over Netto-san's body," said Imi. "He was going to kill me in cold blood—"

"Killing you isn't murder!" said Roll. "Besides, he was keeping his promise to me."

"A promise you regret."

Roll shuddered. "Yes…"

"I think it's funny," said Imi. "Now that you're dead, he can't help but want to please you."

"Be quiet, Imi-chan."

Imi smirked. "It'd be a lot easier if you just went back to the choir for good, you know."

"Never."

She sighed. "Of course you say that." Shaking her head, Imi paced about the spotlight. "I think I want to sleep."

"It's not even dark."

"Are you going to keep me up, Roll-san?"

"It's nicer when you're asleep, really."

"You like my dreams?"

"I don't mind them," said Roll, "as long as they're not strange."

"They usually aren't," said Imi.

"I'd have thought you'd dream about killing people."

"I'm not a monster, Roll-san."

Roll folded her arms and stared.

"I'm not," said Imi. "Papa will say so when I find him."

Roll stared.

"I hope…" said Imi. "Good night."

The spotlight went dark, and in the real world, Imi lay down beside a hot spring, where the bubbling waters eased her to sleep.

_I hope…_

—

At least Imi had hope.

The choir hall was quiet but far from silent. The cloaked shadows, the souls of the dead, whispered and muttered amongst themselves. Some of them actually sang—or rather, they hummed. It was eerier that way. Lyrics would've given their sorrows shape and form; without words, their minor chords and triads haunted the chamber like an aura of grief, a haze of dread.

And Roll sat, her knees bent, her head against the caps. "Rockman, what are you doing? What's happened to you?"

The ghosts of Rockman, dressed in Netto's Cross Fusion gear, and Imi, haggard and weak, shimmered in the center of the hall.

"Mach—gah!" The wave fizzled in her palm and exploded between her fingers. Imi cradled her aching hand.

_She was helpless._

And Rockman didn't even hesitate. Sword on his right hand already, he summoned the Wide Sword on his left, the Long Sword overhead. The program completed; the majestic white blade stabilized and coalesced.

"Dream—"

And shattered. His armor particleized and emerged in the form of a blue PET, and Netto, not Rockman, took the device in hand.

"This isn't what we do," he said. "It's not just what you do; it's why you do it."

The ghosts faded, but Rockman's voice echoed in the halls. "Put the Synchro Chip back in!" he said. "Hurry! Hurry, Netto-kun, hurry! For Roll-chan!"

_For me._

In a lot of ways, this scene was harder to watch than Imi's murders. Just yesterday, she impaled Corporal Calloway on her sword, just as she did Egami Aya, just as she wanted to do to Meiru. Even as a captive audience to Meiru's suffering—helpless to save her from a thorny death grip—Roll had feared, but she railed against Imi, and all was well in the end. This new Rockman, however, with his awesome power (after all, Imi'd survived more than one Program Advance in her day, yet with Enzan and Raoul to absorb the damage of the Hyper Burst, she came out practically shedding data; had Rockman tapped her hard on the shoulder, she would've turned to dust) was something she could do nothing about and could hardly understand. Even still, rather than react rashly (hadn't somebody somewhere said he'd gone insane?), she tried to put all the facts together. Imi's slumber would at least give her time and peace of mind to do that.

So, what came first?

_I died._

Yes, well, that was unfortunate, wasn't it? Rockman couldn't have taken that well. He was the kind of person who would definitely shoulder the blame for her death. It was in flashes of vindictive, scornful anger that Roll had pondered the pain it would give him, the guilt he would bear for her demise. After all, he rejected her; it _was_ his fault. And yet, she'd only hoped it would hurt him because that would mean he cared. Given the rage he showed when Imi wielded Roll's bow against him, he surely cared. That wasn't in question anymore.

But Roll was getting ahead of herself. She died, and Rockman felt he was responsible. What happened next?

_He and Netto-san went to Ameroupe._

And that was the first showing of their new power: the battle at the train station—it nearly killed Imi. Roll was just a shadow in the mind at that point, so she didn't have many thoughts on the matter at the time, but what was strange was…after that battle, Netto and Rockman dropped off the map. They stayed with Enzan, apparently, training to replicate that emergent ability…

…_and they created Sim._

Somehow, the thought of Rockman kissing that purple navi one moment and slicing her arm off the next didn't quite jive. Then again, Meiru and Sim had their theory: that in practice battles, Sim doubled for Imi, and in other matters, she stood in for Roll.

_I'd rather he kiss _me_ than her, though._

Yet it was pathological—his behavior, that is. Taking a limb in dummy matches is no insignificant taboo. It happened, of course, and the damage, like all other scars and scrapes, would heal after some time with a repair program, but still, most navis avoided such measures, if only for a simple reason: the physical damage might heal, but the trauma of trying to wiggle one's fingers, only to realize they've _fallen off_…that didn't fade so easily.

And on and on, the evidence of Rockman's waning sanity mounted. If her plea for him to kill her didn't seal it, Imi's sadistic trick at Net Police Headquarters surely did. Last night, at the train, there was nothing left in his eyes but anger and sorrow and despair. Sim had been almost right: "If you let Rockman kill you, he'll have nothing left!" she'd said. Indeed, everything that was kind and sweet and gentle about him froze over. The ice was thick, and if it melted, it would flood him, engulf him, yet without that, he was left cold.

_And stuck in Imi-chan's mind, there's nothing I can do._

"That's not true."

Another voice—not Imi's—emerged from the choir. The shadows parted, and Masuyo stood at the edge of the stage.

"Imi sleeps now," she said. "Take advantage. Walk into the spotlight."

"Is it that easy?" asked Roll.

"It's not _easy_. You know the risks; the choir will stir, and Imi may think it a dream, a nightmare, but she won't for long. If you step forward, there's no time to waste. What will you do?"

Roll gazed into the dim spotlight. "I have questions," she said, "but last time, they cost us the chance to stop Imi-chan for good."

"Have you learned from that mistake?" asked Masuyo.

"I think so," said Roll. She rose to her feet and waved her hand through the light. "I know Imi-chan has to be stopped first. Only then…"

—

At the ruined convoy, garbage trucks carted debris from the scene. Enzan and Raoul presided over the cleanup effort, lest any evidence of Imi's objectives or location arise. Enzan hardly expected that evidence to show up in his PET, however.

"How do I know you're not Echo trying to trick me again?" said Enzan.

"I guess you don't," said Roll, "but you need to do something fast, all right? Imi-chan could wake up at any time. Let me in your PET and lock me up! That would be faster."

"There is _no way_ I'm letting Echo in my PET," said Enzan, "even if you're in control."

Roll huffed. "I should've called Meiru-chan. She would understand." She tilted her head. "I guess I still can, can't I? I could—"

Enzan buckled down. "Sakurai's judgment is clouded. It was because of her Echo had all the time in the world to break our perimeter around the train and touch Corporal Calloway."

"Oh…" Roll's gaze drifted. "That's what she meant, isn't it?"

He sighed. "Look, just find some isolated part of the net—a videophone terminal, maybe—and stay there. Stay there until I arrive and cut you off, understand?"

"Please hurry," said Roll. "The voices in her mind—they may wake her."

"I'll try." Enzan cut the line, looked to the sky, and shook his head.

"What do you think, Enzan?" said Raoul. "Is it a trick?"

"For all we know, this is an elaborate ploy to kill us off and be rid of our interference," said Enzan, "but…it could be genuine. It could be Roll." He scratched his head and walked in a circle. "I'll take a couple converters, but I'll go alone."

"Alone?"

On the other side of the attack site, Netto and Meiru shuffled their feet and watched the rest of the cleanup crew recover the remnants of the dimensional area generator. Netto, however, meet Enzan's gaze and looked back quizzically.

"You need to stay with them, Raoul," said Enzan. "Don't tell Netto. Don't tell Sakurai, either, unless you need to."

"I see. Good luck, Enzan."

At that, Enzan took a driver and commandeered the converter vehicle. "Luck won't have anything to do with it."

The humvee sped away, following the directions of Blues's map to the spa, but the image of Netto haunted the side-view mirror.

"We need to be careful, Blues," said Enzan.

"Of Echo?"

"No."

The vehicle turned a corner, and Netto's form slipped off the side of the mirror.

Enzan looked forward, to the streets before him. "Of Rockman."

**3**

"Honestly!"

Far from Ameroupe, the young heiress to the Gabcom corporate empire tied her pink bathrobe at the waist, shuffled her slippers, and sipped strawberry milk.

"Is my company an open book to everybody?" she complained.

"It was unreasonable to think the world wasn't somewhat aware of our activities," said Glyde. "It _is_ rather difficult to keep a worldwide satellite network a secret."

Ayanokouji Yaito leaned back on a couch in her parlor. She and Glyde had toiled for hours now on a favor for the government of Sharo—they needed someone tracked down, and their own spy satellites had proved insufficient for the task.

"Well, that's what you get when you spend everything you have on tanks or missiles or—"

"Cross fusion research institutes?" said Glyde.

Something like that. Still, it was humiliating, and what was more embarrassing was that they assumed it was a _spy_ network, like it couldn't be anything else.

"Well," said Glyde, "we use it to maintain surveillance on different subjects of interest—"

"Subject!" said Yaito. "_One_ subject!"

"…who happens to be the vice-president of the only company that could rival our market share. It would be only natural to think this an act of corporate espionage."

"We don't need to spy on Enzan's company to be better than them," said Yaito.

"So there's another reason we spy on him?"

Yaito blushed. "Be quiet, Glyde!"

"Yes, Yaito-sama," said her navi, and he bowed discreetly.

At any rate, so long as the free world didn't know _who_ Yaito was spying on, she supposed it made little difference. Indeed, if she played this cleverly, she might be able to contract the services of the network to interested parties, so long as their concerns violated only a few international laws. If people must know about her private satellites, the least they could do was turn a profit for her.

"A brilliant idea," said Glyde.

But this request was one she could hardly extort money for. Not long after word of Imi's attacks on Sharo and other generators around the world, Yaito received a call from none other than Laika himself. "I need you to find someone," he said. "And I need it quickly."

"Netto?" she asked.

"No, although that might not be a bad idea…"

Instead, his target was a girl, hidden somewhere in the stone-cold heart of communist Choina. Laika, as it turned out, aimed to assemble the Cross Fusion Members, and outside of Netto and Meiru, there was but one comrade who'd eluded him:

Jasmine.

But this was not easy work. It started with a photo of her outside Peijing some five weeks ago. Yaito salvaged the data she'd recycled, and Glyde followed Jasmine's every movement since then. It seemed, much to their dismay, that the Choinan authorities shuffled the poor girl from hut to hut, village to village, every couple of days, and they would have to trace her whereabouts by the hour to find her now.

"What are they afraid of?" said Yaito. "That Echo will come get her and attack her in the night?"

At any rate, Yaito and Glyde had tracked Jasmine to within six days of the present, and it'd only taken an hour…

…or seven. Granted, some of that was time lost due to backtracking; Glyde skipped through some footage too fast and ended up losing track of the girl altogether, costing no insignificant time to look back and catch sight of her again. Even still, it was…

"Ridiculous!" Yaito paced from the parlor and started on a path around the mansion. She was helpless for this task; there was nothing she could do there to help, nothing—

"Ah, Yaito-sama!" Glyde's voice called to her, and just in time, too. She was about to head out the door.

"What is it?"

"We have a visitor."

"A visitor?" Yaito looked out the door, and moonlight caressed the lawn. "At ten at night?"

"I must say, it's been a while!" said Glyde.

"Too long," came the voice from the parlor. "Netto-kun and I have missed home so much."

Yaito froze. _It couldn't be…_ She raced back to Glyde, her PET, the glass of pink milk—

"Ah, good evening, Yaito-chan!" said Rockman, standing with Glyde. "It's good to see you again."

—

There's something about flying around the world. Not all the way, mind you, but just east or west would do. It has to do with the sun. If you fly east in the morning, the sunrise greets you with its warming glow. If you fly west at dusk, you chase the setting sun until it slips below the horizon.

These are the extreme cases, though. There are, in fact, two marginal cases as well. Fly west during sunrise, and the world is backlit; you fly into shadows, but those phantoms quickly wane. Fly east at sunset, however, and the view is very different indeed. The earth dims; the shadows lengthen and consume all. Soon enough, you find yourself in a sea of black, with only the occasional light in the darkness.

It was this fourth picture of the world that Laika and Pride saw on the way to Japan, with Pride at the window and Laika on the aisle. They flew commercial—timing and money had conspired as such—and thus hurtled across the sky with travelers and attendants as companions, but while some of the faces Laika spotted were foreign, like his own, many were native Japanese. And there was something peculiar about them. Laika couldn't quite make it out at first. The whites of their eyes were clean and smooth. They talked and read and slept as you would expect. It was only when he looked past Pride and out the window, where even the shortest hill cast a long, ghastly shadow that he understood. Those shadows draped over their eyes, across the page of a novel or edge of a blanket.

"They're all hiding," said Laika.

"From what?" asked Pride.

"I don't know."

At the terminal where they landed, it was much the same. Even in the bright lights the concourse, the travelers hugged each other's shadows and looked about as if a stalker would emerge from the blind spot and stab them in the back.

"Is it any wonder?" said Pride, collecting her bags at from the luggage carousel. "Echo came from here. It's no surprise that the people might feel responsible for what she's done."

"You're reading too much into it," said Laika. "These are people, _civilians_. They're no more responsible for Echo's actions than they are for bad weather. People like us, princess, take care of the things that matter; they get to worry about knitting sweaters and—"

"I knit sweaters."

"You do?"

"Of course," said Pride. "My mother taught me. Knitting, sewing, dancing…"

The usual trappings of female royalty. "Oh, I see," said Laika.

Pride smiled coyly. "She taught me to battle, too."

"Really?"

"She was very involved in Knightman's creation. Isn't that right?"

"I wouldn't be the navi I am today without the Queen's input," said Knightman.

"I'm glad for that," said Laika, "but I don't see how that's relevant."

"You expect certain things from people, but they don't always fit those expectations." The princess shouldered another bag, yet Laika's hands were empty. "Do you take pride in Sharo's conquests?"

He stared at the carousel.

"Do you feel shame when your country does something wrong?"

The angled belt scrunched at the curves, and the metal plates slid against each other.

"You're right," said Pride, "these people aren't responsible for what Echo does, but she still came from Japan."

"Better things have come from here," said Laika. "Like Enzan."

"And Netto."

That was the hope, at least. Laika may have found Netto a trifling little boy when they first met, but the younger Net Savior had taken to the job with all due determination, and he had an outstanding navi to back him up. Though he would've been revolted to think it then (and, perhaps, a little loathe to say it now), Laika trusted his life—the fate of the world—to Netto, and Searchman no doubt would trust his to Rockman.

It was this trust and bond that made their disappearance all the more puzzling. Netto could be rash, but surely he'd outgrown any rash impulse to chase down Echo himself. It didn't make sense for him to strike out alone and, more than that, shirk his duties here in Japan.

But there were other matters to ponder. Laika looked up and down the carousel, searching for stitched, camouflaged canvass. "Where's my bag?"

A shrill voice approached him. "Don't worry; we've got it." Tesla Magnets strutted forward, toward Laika and Pride, and close behind her, an overburdened Charlie Airstar carried not only his and Tesla's bags but Laika's too.

"I don't understand," said Laika. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be—"

"Out among the islands, yes," said Tesla. "Well, we were, until I heard that bratty Echo destroyed my train! Can you believe it?"

"I'm sure they believe it, Tesla," said Charlie, offering the green and black canvass bag to Laika.

"Well, it all works out in the end," said the Magnets heiress. "I'm sure you two were coming here to ask us to fight, weren't you?"

Pride glanced between them. "As a matter of fact—"

"Good!" said Tesla. "Come along then; I bet you two don't even have a proper car, do you? Don't worry. We have a limousine out front waiting for us. Not that we need the lot of us to do away with that unsightly navi, but I could stand to bring in some overkill, hmm? Maybe that will show everyone else not to mess with the Magnets family!"

At that, Tesla marched off and motioned to her driver to pull in, and Laika, Pride, and Charlie followed her lead.

"To tell the truth," said Charlie, "Tesla was already putting some money together for us to go to Ameroupe. The incident on her train yesterday was just…" Charlie frowned. "It convinced her we should leave as soon as possible."

"You were going to help fight Echo?" said Laika.

"Not precisely. I mean, we'd be glad to help however we can, but I felt we should take the time to find Netto, too. That's a good cause, isn't it?"

"I always thought so," said Pride.

Charlie smiled. "Netto's spirit is what we need right now, what everybody needs. That's what I always liked about the boy."

"Me too," said Pride.

Charlie nodded. He loaded the bags in the trunk of the limo, and the four of them took off in twilight.

"Where to?" asked Tesla.

"Densan Town," said Laika. "We start with Dingo and Nenji."

—

Thus, Laika and his band of merry Members cruised through the heart of Densan Town, on the way to meet Dingo and Nenji. The trip was notable, however, for the streets lay empty, the town all but deserted. Darkness fell over Densan, and it stole the citizens along with the light of day.

"I'd heard this was so," said Charlie. "The town is under curfew; at night, only Net Saviors and other official business may take place."

Indeed, a police checkpoint stopped the limo halfway to downtown, and it was only with Laika's preclearance that they could move forward. Yet for all he had heard, for all he _knew_ about the situation in Japan, Laika could scarcely understand the drastic measures that had taken hold of the country. Aside from the rare spot of wreckage—the reconstruction of a crumbling high-rise or a side-street with gooey pavement—he _didn't_ understand…

…until the rumblings of the beast rattled the pavement. The four lurched against their seatbelts and glued their faces to the windows. Blue scales and bony claws passed beside them, and when a thin, leathery wing flapped past, the flow of wind shattered the side window, showering Tesla in glass. The creature soared into the night. It belched blue flames at the limo's wheels, and the radiant plumes of fire melted the tires and the street beneath. The limo skidded on the rims, kicking up sparks and swerving side-to-side.

"This is Laika!" the soldier of Sharo yelled into his PET. "We need a dimensional converter truck at—"

The rainbow dome rose from the ground; it divided the limo from the creature, who broke in mid-air and howled at the escaping car. The limo glided to a stop, and all breathed a sigh of relief.

"What is that?" said Pride, searching the outside through the window. "Who's out there?"

The four piled out of the limo, and the beast—a giant, supercharged Blue Dragon virus—pounded its head on the wall of the barrier.

"Better us out here and it in there," said Tesla. "You hear that, walnut-for-brains?"

The dragon narrowed its eyes, but if it truly understood Tesla's insult, it refused to act on it. Rather, it turned its attentions to the empty businesses, the storefront displays and newsstands. It torched them and stomped them underfoot, clawed a red brick flower shops and scattered planting dirt on the street. 'Better it in there' indeed. With the dragon captured in the dimensional area, it was free to wreak havoc, and Laika and the others were trapped on the outside.

But not everyone was.

"Elemental Air Raid!" A whirling tomahawk sliced at the creature's gut, and Dingo, as R Tomahawkman, thrust the Elemental Sword in the open wound. The dragon lashed violently at him, but he sprung way and called over his shoulder. "Now, Nenji!"

In the distance, R Napalmman took to one knee and eyed his barn-sized target. "Napalm Bomb!"

BOOM BOOM! The creature staggered. It obliterated two buildings under its weight and wallowed in cracked cement and concrete.

"Just in time to see us delete this monstrosity for good, eh?" said Nenji, ambling to barrier's edge.

BOOM! A ball of fire splattered on the apex of the area. The dragon, unable to reach its feet, breathed upward instead, and the orb of flame burst in all directions, raining embers on the city. To make matters worse, the beast flapped its wings, fanning the wildfire and spreading it across three city blocks.

"We need to get inside!" Laika told his companions. "Anything will do, as long as we have enough speed to break into the area!"

Pride, Charlie, and Tesla scattered, and Laika chose to follow the princess as she hiked up the fire escape of an apartment building.

"Where are you going?" said Laika.

"I've got an idea!"

Laika's heart sank. "Should I say a prayer?"

"It's a _good_ plan!"

With only this vague reassurance, Laika and Pride reached the rooftop. The view of the city—the barren streets, the halide lights that painted the town in an sickly orange glow—haunted Laika, and the new carnage this Mega Dragon wrought exacerbated his discomfort. He'd walked among the citizens of this city and defended it with his arms and mind too many times to see it abandoned and deserted, cold and quiet.

_Is this what happens when Netto is gone?_

"Come on," said Pride, leading him to the edge. "You see what I'm thinking?"

Over the ledge, the dome of the dimensional area shimmered and glowed.

"You're not serious!" said Laika. "You're going to—"

"I'm going!" She backed up and dashed over the side, spreading her arms like a diver over an Olympic pool.

Laika leaned over the edge, but his hand caught air. "Princess!"

As she hit the barrier wall, she slotted-in her Synchro Chip, and her transformation breached the area. She rolled to her feet, ball and chain in hand.

"Take this! Royal Wrecking Ball!"

The steel spikes belted the dragon's jaw, and it howled and shrieked. It rolled over on its belly, however, and though its teeth dangled and fell to the ground, it stared Pride down and roared.

"Come to me!" said Dingo. "Totem of my tribe, come to me now!"

The totem pole impaled the dragon; it squirmed and wiggled atop the monument to Dingo's ancestors, which zapped the creature with the fury of the elements. More than that, however, it was totally unable to free itself. It was, as the Kinglish say, a sitting duck…

…for Laika. He dove into the fray, merged with Searchman, and at Pride's side, he locked the crosshairs of the Scope Gun on the dragon's skull.

TCH-CHEW!

Blue data bits showered them. The dragon was no more. The six of them—Laika and Pride, Charlie and Tesla, Dingo and Nenji—stood together at crater's edge, where the dragon had fallen. For their part, Dingo and Nenji sat on the raw pavement. After the stress of battle, relief and fatigue crept onto their faces. Dingo closed his eyes, and Nenji wiped his brow with his head scarf.

"You guys have good timing, you know," said Dingo. "We've just been alone here in Japan for weeks! Fighting new Darkloids and beast viruses and—"

"They're not here for us," said Nenji.

"Then what are they here for?"

Nenji met Laika's gaze. "They're here to take us to Echo."

"To Echo? But who will be here to defend Japan? If we're not here, then who's left?"

Laika could hardly begrudge the point. In Dingo and Nenji's care, this city was a ghost town, to say nothing of the country at large. It wasn't their fault: Duo had chosen them as holders of the crest, but after that crisis, they were allowed to be ordinary citizens again. It was only in Netto's absence, Enzan's preoccupation with Echo, and Laika's own obligations to his country that Dingo and Nenji had to learn the ways of the Net Savior, commit to a duty that never truly ended. All in all, they hadn't done _badly_, but in their newness, they made mistakes. The same mistakes Netto, Enzan, and Laika made in their own day.

But Dingo was too right: if he and Nenji left, there would be no one else to take up the mantle, no one left to defend Japan.

"It's all right," said Dingo. "I'll go. You too, Nenji?"

"Without a doubt."

"What of Japan?" asked Laika.

Dingo smiled. "The sooner we delete Echo, the sooner we'll be back."

He was right, of course. The sooner they defeated that menace, the sooner all would be normal again. Yet as tow trucks dragged the limo to an auto shop (melted tires don't drive so well, after all), Laika suspected Dingo meant something more when he said _we_ would be back. If he wanted to say just he and Nenji, he could have, but he didn't.

Perhaps Dingo shared his hopes, that ridding the Earth of Echo would mean not just a return to the status quo but the return of lost friends as well.

Perhaps, instead, Dingo was merely looking forward to coming home for the curry, a bowl of which he had Dekao prepare as they waited for mechanics to straighten out the rims.

Laika had all too much time to ponder this question, for while he and Searchman dialed the Ayanokouji residence, all they received were busy signals.

—

"So you want us to look for Enzan?"

The Ayanokouji mansion buzzed with anticipation.

"Netto-kun and I are worried," said Rockman. "He might be walking into a trap. If only he hadn't insisted on going alone—"

"Well, that's Enzan for you," said Yaito. "He doesn't play well with others."

Rockman laughed. Yaito and Glyde exchanged a look.

_Good. Glyde thinks something is wrong, too._

"Is this something you can do, Yaito-chan?" asked Rockman. "I mean, is it possible?"

"Oh, it's certainly possible. Show him, Glyde."

On the holo-screen, Enzan's humvee motored through town.

"Wow, that was fast!" said Rockman. "How did you find him so quickly?"

Yaito averted her gaze. "Let's just say it's our secret…"

"It doesn't seem clear at all where Enzan-san is headed," said Glyde.

"No, it doesn't," said Rockman. "I think the best we can do for now is watch him and try to figure out where he's going."

_Which buys us some time to get to the bottom of this._ Yaito sat back and weighed the options carefully. "What are Netto and Meiru-chan doing now?"

"They're with Raoul," said Rockman. "They're following Enzan, but they'd lost track of him. It was only a while later that we suspected he might be in danger."

"Danger? What kind of danger?"

Rockman shifted his pose in discomfort. "I think it has to do with Imi-chan."

"Enzan runs a company," said Yaito, "one _almost_ as good and as profitable as mine. Maybe he's just going back to take care of the business."

"But Yaito-sama—"

She glared.

"I'm sure that's what it is, Yaito-sama," said Glyde.

"I'm sure it has to do with Imi-chan," said Rockman. "Positive."

"Well, if it has to do with Imi," said Yaito, "then it has to do with Roll, doesn't it?"

He nodded. "I'm hoping…"

"What?"

He frowned. "Meiru-chan's told you a lot, hasn't she?"

"Everything," said Yaito.

"Netto-kun and I—we had a misunderstanding."

"I see."

Ring, ring!

"Ah, that's the house phone," explained Glyde. "Yaito-sama, shall I route it here?"

She rose and brushed her dress smooth. "No, no, you two keep an eye on Enzan. I think I know who that is."

"Ah, Yaito-chan!"

She halted at the door.

"I think you can stay," said Rockman.

"This could be sensitive," said Yaito. "I'll be right back."

"But I think you should stay!"

"Oh?"

Ring, ring!

"It could be Meiru-chan," Rockman explained.

"Why should you need to talk to her?" asked Yaito. "If Netto and Meiru-chan are together…"

He babbled, at a loss.

"Unless, that is, you and Netto haven't made up at all," said Yaito. "Enzan went somewhere, maybe to look for Echo, maybe not, and now you're trying to use me to find him, against Netto's wishes. Isn't that so?"

His eyes fell. "Yes…"

Ring, ring!

"I'm going to answer that," said Yaito, "and then we can talk, okay? Glyde, turn that off. I don't think we'll need to watch Enzan anymore."

"At all?"

"_Today_," she said.

At that, she left the room. Rockman and Glyde talked as she left, but what they said she couldn't make out. Yaito hoped Glyde could help Rockman somehow, that as friends they would be able to set him back on the right path, convince him to return to Netto. It was the least they could do, but no doubt such a process would take time.

She picked up the handset.

"Yaito-sama!"

It slipped from her hand.

"GLYDE!"

**4**

When the repairs were finished and (Tesla cooled off over an "exorbitant" labor bill), the six made for the industrial district. For all the emptiness of the commercial sectors, the factories and warehouses teemed with life. It was simply life of a different sort: machine life. Claws and bulldozers, cranes and pulleys—they winched crossbeams together and welded metal to metal. What humans were too afraid to do themselves they trusted to navis, programs, and robots. Men compelled them to produce, for with danger to life and limb crawling through the streets each night, no sane man would dare risk his life for an honest zenny, not when wires and circuits could do it for him.

Imagine, for a moment, the fruits of his laziness, his fear, when those machines he entrusted turn on him and set out to murder their creator, ravage his civilization.

Or maybe not just civilization. Just a limousine, a passing limousine that didn't have the good sense to stay away.

"Miyabi and Yuriko didn't tell you where they were?" said Pride.

"They only mentioned they would be in the industrial district," said Laika, "chasing down some phantom navi who—"

PING-PING-PING-PING-PING! A laser bored holes in the doors. The seats caught fire, and the occupants stamped it out with coats and bare hands. The limo halted outside a warehouse with sheet metal walls, and the six scrambled outside, hiding behind the corner.

"Somebody want to explain to me what that was?" said Tesla. "Anybody?"

Laika blanked his PET screen and inched it around the corner. In the reflection, a drilling machine wheeled about aimlessly…until it spotted the makeshift mirror and fired up its laser cutter.

TEW-TEW-TEW! Laika pulled back, and the drill peppered the corner, shaving off bits of steel. The six fled the scene, but the machine's compatriots renewed the chase: diggers uprooted the pavement, circular saws cut through the sides of buildings, and trolley cars marauded the streets, looking to mangle someone under the rails.

"Someone has to be at the root of this!" said Laika. "Searchman, find the source! Neutralize the enemy!"

Thus, the six navis—Searchman, Knightman, Gyroman, Magnetman, Tomahawkman, and Naplamman—materialized in cyberspace, but all routes and data streams converged on one source; a single navi sat at the controls and watched the mayhem through security monitors and traffic cameras.

"The sands of time have run out, human interlopers!" cried the overgrown clock face. "Let fate take its course; make way for the true digital age!"

Searchman leveled his rifle on the enemy. "Scope Gun!"

"Ah, not so fast!" Timeman's second hand ground to a halt, and the pink bolt of energy hovered in mid-air, frozen.

"Are you serious?" said Tomahawkman. "That has to be cheating!"

"No," said Timeman, "but this is close!" The hands of the clock whirred at impossible speed, and in a blur, Timeman decked and pummeled the six navis. "You can't keep up with me!" came his high-pitched taunt.

In the real world, too, the army of the machines motored at double time to catch the group. The six ducked into an alley to avoid a deadly street sweeper, and garbage trucks hurled rubbish in their path.

"Gyroman, get to the controls!" said Charlie. "Stop this!"

Tesla dug into her purse. "Battle Chip: Geyser, slot-in!"

Magnetman put down the torrent of water, and Timeman foolishly gave himself away, splashing droplets with his flurry of steps.

"Now we've got you," said Gyroman. His hand fan kicked up the rest of the water, dousing Timeman and washing him out."

But Timeman wasn't down for the count yet. "Maybe it's best if you take it slow…"

Gryoman leapt for the controls, but he floated and hovered. Magnetman readied a Mag Ball, but the sphere shimmered at pinprick size.

"Just hold right there for a second, will you?" said Timeman. "Or maybe ten, or twenty…" He giggled and assumed the controls again.

"What could it be this time?" said Dingo. "Walking robots that shoot at us?"

BANG! Two security bots burst through a wall and rolled into the street on tank treads.

"Close," said Pride.

Laika kicked open a door, into another warehouse. "Everyone, move!"

Tesla objected "What's going to—"

A red dot appeared on her shirt. She brushed it away, but it appeared on her hand instead.

"Move!" said Laika.

The six scrambled inside, and a hail of bullets hollowed out the door.

"Keep moving!" said Laika. "Don't stop!"

Laika stood watch as the others raced inside, but the wisdom of fleeing into a building with more bloodthirsty machines…that was not so readily apparent.

The security robots lined up outside a window. The laser sight cast a bright red spot on Laika's tie…

Shink-shink! Two shurikens sank in the robots' metal frames and sparked. The laser spot fizzled out, and outside, two voices announced their arrival.

"Plug-in, Needleman! Transmission!"

"Plug-in, Shadowman! Transmission!"

In cyberspace, the two navis appeared beside Timeman.

"No time left for you, buddy!" Needleman shoved his spikes in the console and cackled over the shorting circuits.

"Wha—you can't do that!" said Timeman. "It's impossi—"

Shink. Shadowman's blade cleaved the navi in half. Timeman split apart and disintegrated, his brief reign of terror over…

…before its time.

—

"You know," said Miyabi, "I expect to be paid."

"To go to Ameroupe?" said Pride. "Really?"

The limousine rolled along, and the other seven Members stared at their colleague, the ninja.

"For Timeman," he explained. "I was promised payment."

"I thought you said he was a 'mere trifle,' a 'waste of digital space,' " said Yuriko.

"You're the one who contracted me," said Miyabi. "I expect payment…even if the fare is a bit dull."

"Why do you even bother coming if you're only interested in money?"

Miyabi met her gaze. "Echo won't be dull."

"Don't treat it like a game!" said Dingo. "This is Echo! I saw what she did to Egami; I know what she can do to people!"

"That's why I look forward to facing her," said Miyabi. "What Yuriko has paid me to do is dispatch of small, common navis that choose to do evil, but I'm not a common operator, and Shadowman isn't a common navi. I've performed contract deletions since before you were born; deleting a target like Echo is a job worth doing, even for no money at all."

Dingo scoffed. "Unbelievable."

"What he means to say," Yuriko interrupted, "is that he can't wait to find Netto and…oh, what was it? Get your 'revenge' on him?"

Miyabi turned away. "It would be impolite of Hikari Netto to let someone else beat me to it."

Tesla rolled her eyes, and Charlie suppressed an amused grin. The remark loosened up the group of eight, as it happened to be now, and in Laika's judgment, this was good, for while they may not all see eye-to-eye, it was imperative they work together and, at the least, tolerate each other. It was this task that Laika had feared on his way here, for while he was a solider—a commander, even—these were not his men. They weren't soldiers; they were an entrepreneur, a pilot, a ninja. They were a delivery boy, a firework-maker, a princess. One of them, at least, defied any succinct title or summation. Laika was a soldier, but his colleagues among the Members were not, and had little idea how to unify them should the need arise.

The truth of the matter was that others had always done it for him. Enzan, at least, could passably organize and motivate a disparate group like the Cross Fusion Members, but while Laika might treat them like soldiers, Enzan would treat them like subordinates as well, like paper-pushers in his company. He centralized the decision-making, and while this was ideal in the business world, it didn't lend itself well to life-or-death combat. Laika knew well that the primary motivator in combat was the well-being of friends and loved ones. That, above all else, kept men sane and focused when just three months before they'd been farming in the frozen wastes of Sharo. Laika also knew he didn't have that in him.

But Netto did. Say what you will of the boy, he was everybody's friend. He was the heart of the team, and without him, they were just people. They barely held together.

Much like Japan. Since Netto's departure, all manner of "dull" threats, as Miyabi had put it, endangered the country, with only Dingo and Nenji, Miyabi and Yuriko to thwart them. Netto and Rockman's absence may not have been as much of a factor as the knowledge of that absence. Where the truth lay…who knew. It was all Laika could hope for to finish this roundup of the Members and get to Ameroupe as soon as possible, but that left one last person to find…

…and a persistent busy signal to battle.

"Don't you think it'll be faster to find Jasmine some other way?" asked Pride.

"I'm perfectly willing to head to Ameroupe without her," said Laika, "but for Ayanokouji to stop taking our calls is too strange to overlook."

He popped the door and ducked outside.

"Wait, Laika!"

The door shut. The limo idled at the front gate of the Ayanokouji mansion. Laika dialed a videophone at the gate, but there was no answer.

"Searchman, disable the security," said Laika. "I'm going inside."

With his navi in cyberspace, Laika scaled the gate and hopped over the wrought iron bars, landing on the grass. Having heard tales of people outright disappearing in this gauntlet, he was surprised to find no resistance, no cage traps or other obstacles. The front lawn and driveway merely hummed with the chirps of crickets.

"The security system is intact," said Searchman, "but all the vital functions are inactive."

"Sabotage?"

"Unlikely. I'd say the system simply hasn't been activated."

Like they wanted him there, like they expected his intrusion and welcomed it…

Laika shook himself. This was no time to ponder puzzles and games. He made for the front entrance and stuck to the outside wall. No reason to go charging through the door just yet; he needed reconnaissance, intelligence.

Shadows in the window. Stationary, but more than he could see of any of the others. He peeked over the windowsill, ever so slightly.

Over the coffee table, there was an image—an armored driving along a narrow two-lane road. In the passenger-side, a flash of white hair and black streaks moved behind the side support strut.

"That's Enzan," said Laika. "Why is she spying on him?"

Beyond the table, Ayanokouji Yaito sat stiff on a couch and pressed her arms into her lap. She spoke, but the sounds died in the window glass.

"Allow me, sir," said Searchman.

Laika nodded and shined the PET laser on the glass. The interior sounds came back distorted and warbling but intelligible.

"I swear to you it's not Meiru-chan!" said Yaito. "I told you what happened! Laika asked us to find Jasmine; they're coming to Ameroupe!"

"Yaito-sama, please don't be agitated," said Glyde. "I'm sure there's a way for us to resolve this situation."

Laika shook his head. When there's a "situation," undoubtedly something is wrong. He peeked over the sill again. Sure enough, there was Glyde, by his PET, under the image of Enzan's car. All the details seemed to be intact: a yellow helm, two narrow white fins he used to augment flight, a blue cannon barrel pointed at his back. Everything seemed in order.

…a blue cannon barrel pointed at his back?

"Glyde is in danger," said Laika, "and it's up to us!" He snatched his PET and made for the front door. Searchman hacked the locking code, and Laika swung the door open, dashed into the parlor—

"You see?" said Yaito. "I told you! I told you, Rockman!"

"_Rockman_?" said Laika.

True enough, the blue navi stared back at Laika and Searchman, but he quickly regained his composure, digging the end of the Rockbuster into Glyde's body. "Don't come any closer!" he said. "I need this data! I need to find out where Roll-chan is…"

**5**

Netto ripped off his bandana and threw it on the floor in disgust. "I don't believe it; I _can't_ believe it!"

Raoul glanced in the rear-view mirror. "What happened?"

"He's taken Glyde hostage!" said Netto. "He's using Yaito-chan's satellites to find Enzan."

Raoul grimaced. "Come on, Enzan, turn off the jammer already; we need to talk to you!"

"I told him…" Meiru looked sick in her seat. "I told Rockman about Yaito-chan's satellites, and that's how he knew to go there. He knew he would be able to find Enzan if he went there…"

"This is only one person's fault, Meiru," said Netto. _So do the right thing, nii-san. Let Glyde go; come back home!_

'_She's waiting for me…'_

Netto sighed. _No, she isn't._

'_I need to find her. I need to find her. I need to find her…'_

—

"I need to find her!"

Laika's jaw dropped. "This isn't possible," he said. "This is a trick! This is Echo!"

"Trick or not, I think the weapon against my back is real enough!" said Glyde.

"It's no trick!" said Yaito. "Rockman, I know what happened. Meiru-chan told me everything—"

"Did she tell you how Netto-kun let Imi-chan go again?" said Rockman. "Did she tell you Imi-chan was _falling apart_ and he let her get away? Let her kill Corporal Calloway?"

"Netto was on that train?" said Laika. "He was there?"

"_We_ were there," said Rockman. "We saw it all! How Meiru-chan ruined Enzan's trap with _your_ interference, Yaito-chan!"

"We were trying to save Roll," said Yaito. "If Nakamura-hakase had been there—"

"But he wasn't! He wasn't there; he was never there!"

"I know that!" snapped Yaito. "We all know that! Well, maybe Laika doesn't, but we all know that! Meiru-chan and I were trying to do right by Roll. We thought—we _feared_—that Enzan would be content to let her die with Echo."

"You should've let things play out," said Rockman. "You should let Roll-chan die. It's what she wants."

Glide twitched. "I know you and Roll-san were close, but—" The barrel prodded him. "Promising to end her life under duress is not something you should stick hard and fast to!"

"It's not just that!" said Rockman. "It's everything! It's…" He shook his head. "You remember, don't you, Glyde? Do you remember how she laughed?"

He nodded grimly. "As clearly as if she were here now."

"I didn't notice it at the time, but she liked to giggle, didn't she? Just kind of softly and to herself, like she knew something funny was going to happen, like she expected it the whole time but couldn't help herself."

Glyde nodded again. "I always thought you were more astute than you let on with her."

"Did you know how she felt?"

"I suspected, yes."

"Even right before she told me, I had no idea," said Rockman. "If I'd known, I wouldn't have told her that Netto-kun and I—"

He met Laika's gaze, and the sentence died away.

_That he and Netto what?_

Rockman's grip on Glyde loosened, and Yaito's navi adjusted to the new distance between them. "You still have a chance, Rockman," he said. "You haven't done anything to regret yet."

The blue navi grimaced. "I haven't? I've let Roll-chan down too many times now. I broke my promise to Netto-kun and left him alone, yet even now he still hears me!"

"Hears you?" said Laika.

"Because he is my brother!" said Rockman. "He is my brother, and ever since our father tried to resurrect me, our minds have been linked together! Do you know what that's like? Can you imagine? You want me to feel shame for what I've done? Netto-kun feels enough for me and him both! The only thing I'm ashamed of is that Papa tempted me to become human, that he _made_ me choose against Roll-chan! I chose Netto-kun over her, and now I don't have either. I don't have—"

Glyde squirmed away and broke from his grip. "Yaito-sama!"

Pew! Glyde's kneecap exploded. His severed leg lay lifeless on the floor, and as he bled data from the wound, Rockman lined up behind him, holding the buster to Glyde's head.

"You shouldn't have done that," he mumbled, shocked with himself. "Why did you do that…?"

"Glyde!" Yaito made for the table, but Rockman tightened his grip. "You've crossed the line now, you know that?" she said. "You've done wrong!"

"I've already done wrong!" he said. "Every time someone died at Imi-chan's hands, we did wrong. It started with Cardman; we failed him. We failed all of them, and each time someone died, each time she deleted another navi or navis died because we tried to stop her, I felt it. I still feel it. They all screamed, shouted, or cried when she slew them. Every last one of them, I bet. I feel their terror, but Roll-chan feels it more! She knows the horror they felt when they touched Imi-chan and she showed them exactly what she'd do to them! Do you think that's right? DO YOU THINK THAT'S FAIR?"

Glyde clenched his teeth and shook.

"Hang in there, Glyde!" said Yaito. "Just hang in there!"

_This is madness; even if this isn't Echo talking, this isn't Rockman. This is a shade of him, a fragment._

That's what they called it in Sharo. Laika saw it in his fellow soldiers (and not half the time in himself). Often times, the body comes back from battle, from death and destruction and doom, but the mind…the mind is still there. It dwells on the thunder of mortars; it seeks the muzzle flash or the spark of grenades.

But those were people, not navis. To think navis capable of such disorders eroded his faith in the world. If someone like Rockman could fall to insanity, who was to say any other navi was immune?

Who was to say Searchman was immune?

Searchman displayed a text message on his PET screen—a covert method of communication between operator and navi when speech would've given them away.

"I can stop Rockman if you can plug me into Glyde's PET."

Laika looked up. Enzan's humvee stopped outside a dilapidated wood building, with rocky, volcanic rock surrounding it.

_A natural spring? A spa? It doesn't make any sense; why would Enzan go there?_

"Imi-chan's there somewhere!" said Rockman. "She has to be!"

"You don't know that!" said Yaito. "Please, let Glyde go already! He needs help!"

"I just need to see…" said Rockman. "Let me see…"

The message on Laika's screen flashed. Searchman looked to him for response.

_No, we need more time. If Rockman noticed movement, he may shoot Glyde before we have the chance, and if Echo doesn't appear, there's a good chance we can settle this without bloodshed. I _hope_ we can settle this without bloodshed._

Searchman nodded, and the two watched anxiously as Enzan explored the ruined building.

—

"Is this a bad idea, Blues?"

"Terrible, Enzan-sama."

"That's what I thought."

At that, Enzan plucked a signal jammer from a box on the dashboard and plugged it into Blues's PET. Should Imi ambush them, it was the fastest way to restore net access, activate the dimensional converters, and pray that he could defend himself.

Granted, he perceived the risk rather low. Imi was not fond of targeting the Net Saviors directly. In two months of confrontation, she'd shown them the utmost respect for what they do, getting emotional only when she sensed her father was close. If this was some elaborate trap to get rid of him for good, it was a cold dish of revenge indeed, and Imi liked to cook warm.

Then again, she'd never taken out all the dimensional area generators in the world.

But there were much simpler ways to kill somebody. She could attack his hotel in the middle of the night, for instance. If Enzan really wanted to be safe, he'd have to bury himself in a concrete bunker, surround himself in signal jammers (which, granted, he did anyway; wired internet wasn't so much of a sin), and sing. Loudly. It was egocentric at best to spare such expense on his own protection when he wasn't even her main target.

Thus, he skirted the ruins of an abandoned spa with great wonder indeed. Assuming Imi'd led him here as a trap, why here? What was special about this place? Water welled up in pools, and heat wafted over the black glassy rock. It was these little details that convinced Enzan—this couldn't be a trick. Roll, not Imi, had appealed to him, and she was here, waiting for him to lock her away.

A phone booth. A plain white phone booth off the side of the road. A narrow crack ran the length of a side pane, and inside, a green videophone lay waiting for a caller.

For Enzan. He approached the phone, picked up the handset…

"Finally!" Roll appeared on the screen and fussed at him. "Do you know how long I've been waiting? Imi-chan could wake up any second now!"

"I doubt yelling at me will make that any better," Enzan remarked. He picked up the phone and started dialing.

"Who are you calling?" asked Roll.

"The phone company. Once they cut the lines to this phone, we'll be set."

As he entered the last digit, the phone rang.

"What now…" He picked up the call, and his gaped at the screen. "Raoul? Netto? Sakurai? Do you have any idea—"

"Get out of there, Enzan!" said Raoul. "Rockman knows you're there!"

"How could he possibly—"

Meiru pointed to the sky. "He's watching you."

Enzan paled. _The satellites. Ayanokouji's satellites. He's…using them?_

"And he knows," said Netto. "He knows Roll is there, too."

—

He knew Roll was there. Just one frame of her berating Enzan for his tardiness told Rockman all he needed.

"I was right…" Even he gawked at the sight. "I was right?" And then shock and awe turned to horror. "No! How do I get there? I need to know!"

The images of Enzan—panicked, scrambling Enzan—vanished. A map of the scene appeared, replete with road names and telephone codes.

"Rockman, stop this," said Yaito. "Don't go there; don't try—"

"She reached out to Enzan!" he said. "She needs our help!"

"She needs help, not deletion!" She turned to Laika. "Do something!"

Six of twelve hexadecimal digits locked in on their proper numbers. AF.23.1D.--.--.--. Rockman had half of the phone's address. "Don't interfere, Searchman," he said. "Let me get the rest of the numbers, and I'll go in peace."

"You cannot leave," said Searchman. "I would regret it, but your actions here have shown you must be stopped."

"Searchman, you're a soldier," said Rockman, "and I'm your ally, remember?"

"No, you are the enemy!" said Searchman. "The Rockman I knew would not do these things!"

Eight of twelve. AF.23.1D.B5.--.--.

_I think the Rockman and Netto we knew are gone. They left, and not just this city fell apart. So did they._

"Master Laika, send me in!" said Searchman. "Hurry!"

AF.23.1D..--.

_They're gone, so now we take care of what they left behind._

The laser light shined into Glyde's PET. Searchman took position ten paces from Rockman, but the blue navi held Glyde's body as a shield.

"Shoot him, Searchman!" said Laika. "Do not let him leave!"

"I have no shot!"

AF.23.1D..79.

"Roll-chan," said Rockman. "Roll-chan, I'm coming!" He shoved Glyde away.

TCH-CHEW!

The shot struck air. Rockman dematerialized, and Glyde collapsed in a heap.

"It's not over yet!" said Laika. "Searchman, after him!"

—

Enzan smashed the signal jammer underfoot. "Get out of that terminal! Rockman is coming, and he won't hesitate to kill you. Is that what you want?"

Rockman…coming here? Coming to kill her?

There was a low murmur. The choir stirred; they whispered amongst themselves. Fear and anxiety emboldened them. They fed off these emotions, much like they feasted on Imi's, for it made them loud and pernicious. The price of control was the cacophonous choir, a chorus of souls that never sang or hummed a melody. Instead, the populated the halls with their shrieks and wails. Death wails.

SCREECH!

Roll covered her ears. _Please, not now, not right now…_

"Blues, take her!"

Red, white, and purple materialized beside her. "Come quickly, Roll; come—"

"No!" She flung her arms and spun him away. "Don't touch me! Don't touch _her_!"

"Roll-chan!"

The murmur spiked._ Rockman…_

He stared, taken aback. "Is it really you this time?"

She nodded. "I know Imi-chan tricked you—"

"It's all right." He stepped forward. "I was ready to delete Imi-chan last night, but I hoped I'd get to hear your voice again, your real voice."

Roll smiled. "You can hear me as much as you like. Blues and Enzan-san are going to lock me—lock Imi-chan away."

He blinked. "Is that…what you want?"

"Yes."

"What you really want?"

She nodded firmly.

"I see." Still, his gaze was empty, as if he were unsure whether he liked this arrangement. Blues and Enzan weren't ones to wait and see if he'd change his mind, however.

"Come, Roll," said Blues, opening a gateway. "Into my PET if we must."

Roll followed him to the portal, but behind them, there was a materialization sound.

And a click.

"Searchman!"

The steel sniper lined up his crosshairs. "I have a shot, sir."

"No, stop this!" said Blues. "Searchman, the situation is under control."

A window to Laika opened in cyberspace. "How can you say that! Rockman shot Glyde; he must be apprehended!"

_He…he shot Glyde?!_

'_Are…_you_…afraid?'_

Roll jumped in place, startled. _Imi-chan!_

The voice in her mind didn't answer. Perhaps it was a sleepy thought, nothing more, but it could just as easily herald the return of her body's true owner.

"Is it true?" said Blues. "You shot Glyde?"

He looked to Roll, who met his gaze. "I…I had to find out where you were, if I needed…"

'_I had to find out,'_ the choir echoed. _'I had to find out!'_

She shook her head, as much to him as to the choir. "How could you? He was our friend! He _is_ our friend!"

"He stood in my way!" said Rockman. "He and Yaito-chan, they wanted to trap me, but I outsmarted them! I found you as soon as Enzan did!"

'_He found you,'_ whispered Imi. _'Aren't you glad…he found you?'_

"I'm taking the shot!"

"No!"

TCH-PAM! Searchman tumbled; the shot strayed from Rockman's head and disappeared in cyberspace.

_Did I…do that?_ Roll held out her hands. _I fired the Burst, and Searchman…_

Searchman rolled over. He looked about and recovered his rifle.

_No…_

A thousand vines entangled him, keeping the Scope Gun out of reach.

"She's doing this!" said Laika.

'_She is,'_ said the choir. _'She is!'_

"Enzan, do something!"

Blues's sword enveloped his hand. He held the blade between Roll and Searchman and flicked it back toward the portal. "Let's go, Roll. _Now_."

"Wait!" The blue cannon, the Rockbuster, locked onto Roll, though its wielder shook and trembled.

"I told you," said Roll. "It was a mistake; you don't have to…"

"But you're in pain," said Rockman. He blinked. His brow furrowed. "I see it on your face…"

"Roll, get in the portal!" said Blues.

"Roll-chan, wait!"

'_Stay and let him kill you!'_ said a stray voice. _'Let us rest! Please, let us rest!'_

'_Stand and fight! Let the little one die with you!'_

The choir erupted; their individual voices, no longer content to whisper their thoughts, shouted at Roll instead, the loose ideas, hatreds, and temptations overwhelmed her own thoughts and feelings. There were just the choir's impulses, and they pulled her in all directions. Their voices became noise, deafening noise, noise that blocked Blues's urgings or Rockman's pleas. They pointed at her and gyrated like actors in silent film, but Roll stared dully in return, lost without subtitles.

Blues discarded his sword and reached for her shoulders.

'_Don't touch me!'_

She backed away. _It's happening again. Imi-chan is coming back…_

Rockman's aim steadied. One breath in, one breath out.

_And he knows it._

She made for the portal.

Pew!

She fell to her knees. It hardly hurt; it tickled actually. Rockman shot again and again, but Blues stayed his hand. Both stared at a motionless Roll, however.

In truth, she could see them only in the corner of her eye. She held her hands out and examined the palms, the smooth pink gloves. The choir's noise died away, and there was but one clear voice in the wilderness.

'_Why do you betray me, Roll-san?'_

The hands—they moved! She rose to her feet, yet her will failed her. She was actress no more; she was audience…

…to Imi.

'_WHY DO YOU BETRAY ME, ROLL-SAN?'_

The gloves turned white, with a green ring around the cuffs. A hole enveloped her from below, and Rockman's buster shots hailed her exit.

_I'm sorry…_

And he too shook Blues away, disappearing into the net.

_I'm sorry, Rockman. I'm sorry everyone._

**6**

The village was quiet at night, not like a modern town. Even on her hilltop at home, she watched the nighttime lights. People would stay up to all hours of the morning, some of them not sleeping at all. Some worked; they toiled in the streets. Others, however, played. They found endless amusement in all things electronic, in polygons and pixels. That's not to say she couldn't relate, but the Choinan way is that of balance in life. As yin balanced yang, so nature must balance technology.

Out here, in the wilderness, Jasmine embraced nature, and more than that, she cared for people. She crushed wild roots and herbs in a bowl, stirred up medicinal blends and concoctions that would cost the common villager his hut ten times over. That's why she liked to be among the people—not the _common_ people, for they were as much people as she. They didn't waste their time on fashion and frivolities, for they had precious little to waste at all. They slept at dusk and woke at dawn, and during the day, they plowed the fields, sowed seeds, and tended their oxen and buffalo.

After three days or so, the car would come. The two soldiers who guarded her hut would escort her to the vehicle, and they would drive over dirt roads and muck. Then, after hours of treading through the wilds, she would find a new grass hut to call home…for a time. Even still, she never feared the soldiers, for they'd hardly harmed her. They just took her from her home, from her grandfather, but that was not their fault either. They were just doing their jobs, and as long as they caused no trouble, she could live with it.

That night, though, there was trouble.

It started with shouting. The first alarm woke her, for she slept lightly. When the second cry in the dark came, engines revved and headlights flooded the village.

"What's happening?" she asked the guards at the door. "What's going on?"

"Stay inside; stay quiet," said her captors.

Pop pop pop! Gunfire. Who was coming? Who could be coming that they'd shoot at?

A hum, soft and simple, of solid semitones. The rainbow crept under the walls of the hut, through the cracks in the straw.

"They're coming," said Medi. "They're coming for _us_."

Jasmine rummaged through her belongings. She uncovered a clear plastic box with a digital lock, and within lay a pristine Synchro Chip. She pried the case, but the lock wouldn't budge. "I need the key!" she yelled at the guards. "I can help; just give me the key!"

Pop pop pop-pop-pop.

She poked at the door. "Hello?"

It gave under her finger. Outside, the Choinan forces took cover in the woods and fired, but their bullets bounced off R Napalmman—he walked, unconcerned, through the darkness.

"Everyone, look!" said Nenji. "It's Jasmine!"

Laika cast off his camouflage and stormed past Jasmine, into the room. "Clear here!"

"I don't understand," said Jasmine. "What's this for?"

Laika smashed the butt of his rifle into the lockbox, freeing the Synchro Chip. "We need you to go to Ameroupe."

BOOM BOOM! Nenji fired a few bombs into the woods, and the Choinans retreated. The other Members gathered around the hut, welcoming Jasmine back into the fold.

"It's for Echo," said Medi. "It's for Echo, isn't it?"

"So it is," said Laika.

Jasmine looked about the group. "But where's Netto? All this time, and nobody's found Netto?"

"And Rockman?" said Medi. "I want to see him!"

There was a grim silence among the nine.

"Come," said Laika. "We'll explain on the flight."

—

"They'll be here soon, you know."

Raoul and Enzan munched on sandwiches. Lettuce dropped on the upholstery, and Raoul banged his knees on the steering wheel trying to pick it up.

"I know," said Enzan.

"Japan's what, fourteen hours ahead?"

"They're flying from Choina."

"So they have Jasmine, then."

Enzan nodded.

A streetlamp flickered on, and the pair of Net Saviors blinked and shielded their eyes.

"I'm going to back us up," said Raoul, starting the car. "No sense being in the spotlight."

"You should've seen it," said Enzan.

Raoul inched the car backward, but he nudged the bumper of a convertible. "Is that so?"

"She was this close to being in my PET, and I could've cut her off in a second."

"Rockman and Searchman made things difficult."

The engine turned off. Raoul and Enzan sat in shadow, watching, waiting.

"I didn't have much time to speak with Laika," said Enzan. "He and the others had to sort through Ayanokouji's data to find Jasmine and Medi, so I didn't want to keep him." He huffed. "It's only for Laika's sake she's not on the streets of Osaka with nothing but the clothes on her back."

"Jasmine?"

"Huh? Oh, no."

Raoul raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure Ayanokouji will tell him the whole story," said Enzan, "but still, they all seemed shocked at Rockman, at what he'd done."

"And you aren't?"

Enzan shook his head. "I don't know what could shock me anymore. It's just…they will know what I did, how I sheltered Netto and Rockman and didn't see the signs. How can I explain that?"

"I think there's just the truth," said Raoul, "and nothing else matters."

"Perhaps." Enzan tilted his PET, and the outside lamps lit the screen. "You're right, they'll be here soon, but where is _he_?"

Raoul balled up his sandwich wrapper. "Maybe he moved on."

"I doubt it," said Enzan. "This is the perfect time for him to find a place to leech power from."

Sure enough, a ragged figure emerged from an alley at the end of the block. He lugged a bag over his shoulder and looked both ways before hitting the sidewalk proper.

"Is that him?" asked Raoul.

"Wait and see."

The man hiked up the steps to a townhouse, knocked on the door, rang the bell. When all seemed safe, he dug in his bag and unveiled a PET case.

"That's it!" said Enzan. "That's him!" He pressed a button on Blues's PET. "All units, move in!"

Sirens blared through the night. Raoul restarted the car and hit the gas. "Dr. Hikari did a good job tracing him, didn't he?"

Enzan nodded. "This is just the break we need."

Three patrol cars surrounded the building, and Enzan and Raoul pulled up behind the officers. But Nakamura fled; though torches nipped at his heels, he had enough of a start on the first set of patrols to dash up the street.

"Stop right there!" An officer wielded his sidearm. "Police!"

"No, don't shoot him!" said Enzan. "He's unarmed!"

But "armed" was a matter of definition. As a fourth squad car moved to cut him off, Nakamura plugged Codey into a nearby sedan. The navi cracked the locks in no time, and Nakamura hopped inside.

"Shoot the tires!" said Enzan. "Don't let him go!"

Spinning rubber kicked up smoke, and bold, brazen Nakamura Hideki rammed the incoming police car side-on. Metal crunched on metal, and though his vehicle was beaten and shedding debris, Nakamura drove on.

Enzan fumed. "There is no way he's getting away again, _no way_! Converters, fire!"

The dome enveloped the block. Nakamura's brakes squealed in the distance, but there was no escape. The four-door sedan slammed head-on into the area wall, and hubcaps rolled and wobbled from the scene. Raoul and Enzan rushed over with several police officers, just as Nakamura batted away the airbag and lay back in his seat.

"What now, hakase?" said Enzan. "Will you keep running now?"

—

The door to Enzan's penthouse banged on the hinges, and Netto, Meiru, and Yuuichirou rose from the dinner table.

"Netto, move!" said Raoul. "Get out of the way!"

"Hikari-hakase, your help please!" said Enzan.

The two of them dragged a body into the room. The man kicked and shouted, but duct tape muted his screams, and a black hood cloaked his face.

"I don't understand," said Yuuichirou. "What is this?"

Enzan pointed at the upper level. "Help us take him upstairs!"

"But who is it?"

Enzan looked at Netto.

"Oh," said Yuuichirou. "I see." At that, he took the stranger's legs, and together, the three of them heaved him upstairs.

"But Enzan," said Netto, "what happened?"

"I'm sorry," he said. "I can't tell you. You know that."

He shut the door behind him, and Netto and Meiru were left alone.

"He can't tell me, can't tell me anything."

"Netto—"

"No, no, it's fine," he said. "I understand. Everything I know, Rockman will know, and it's dangerous for Rockman to know things." He sat back in his chair. "My brother is dangerous now."

"What does he think?" She tilted her head up the stairs. "Of that, I mean."

"Who do you think is up there?"

"Na—" Meiru covered her mouth. "I mean, of course it couldn't be—"

"It's Nakamura-hakase," said Netto definitively. "Or Enzan is tricking all of us." He frowned. "That'd be pretty smart, actually."

"Is Rockman going to do something about it?"

Netto shook his head. "Nii-san doesn't know what to do anymore."

"He doesn't?"

"No, he's…confused. He's going in circles, and nothing I say or do can snap him out of it. I can't do anything. I can't know anything. I'm just…here."

"You're not just here," said Meiru. "We're here, together."

He looked away.

"Are you talking to him?"

"Always."

"Where is he?"

"If I told you, he would go somewhere else. Maybe somewhere less safe than he is now."

"I see."

He stared into space, and Meiru found herself staring at him, too, trying to make something of his intense expression. After two long months of searching, this was not the reunion she had in mind. Netto and Rockman struggled on their mental battlefield, and as helpless as Netto might think himself, she, Meiru, was but a mere observer. Enzan and Raoul could fight. The other Cross Fusion Members, led by Laika, could fight. Netto fought with Rockman, Yuuichirou fought for both of them, but all she had was this dinky Battle Chip Gate, a weapon incapable of defeating Imi. Nay, it could only piss her off.

"What's the matter, Meiru?"

Meiru. That was nice of him, wasn't it? And what was better, he said it like he thought nothing of it—no doubt, no hesitation to say her name without the usual signs of respect, of distance that might separate strangers or even friends. She asked, and he obliged her. Though many other things had changed since then, that much would stay the same. It was a small comfort, and surely, if he could, he would comfort her fears now.

"I was just thinking," she said. "I feel like I can't make a difference by being here. Everything's out of my hands."

"That's not true," said Netto. "Roll was in control for a while. Maybe you'll get the chance to talk with her again, keep her from losing it."

"I hope so."

"I _know_ so."

"Oh, now you're just trying to cheer me up."

He blinked. "No I'm not."

"Of course you are."

"No, I'm not!"

The words stabbed her in the chest. "I guess you're not then…" She kicked back on the table, scooting out of her seat.

"Ah, Meiru!"

She fled the chair, walking away, not really sure where she was going.

"Meiru, wait!"

She stopped on the balcony.

"What's wrong?" asked Netto.

"Nothing!" she said. "You probably don't understand, do you?"

He flinched. "Roll said something like that to Rockman once."

"_It doesn't need explaining! It shouldn't!"_ Roll had told her all about the incident later that night, how infuriated she was that Rockman clearly didn't—_couldn't_ understand her feelings. They'd both agreed it was insensitive, yet not deliberately so.

Such a pity that operator and navi were so close in thinking and manner. Perhaps, even, on both counts.

"When Rockman left…"

She whirled, startled. What was he still doing there? Hadn't he said enough already?

"When Rockman left," said Netto, "he told me we should be happy. You know, because he and Roll didn't get the chance to."

The musings of an insane navi. Why Netto listened to anything he had to say she couldn't understand.

"But it's kind of silly, isn't it? I think he just assumed you would be like Roll, but you're different people, and we've always been friends."

Friends? Had Roll and Rockman taught him nothing? Was he really so blind?

"We're friends, aren't we, Meiru?"

_Maybe I should be just "Meiru-chan" again._

"What happened to Rockman and Roll—that won't happen to us, too, will it?"

What happened to Rockman and Roll? She berated him and mourned his lack of understanding. Rather than approach and confess on her own terms, she waited until the chance of losing him arose…

_And it crushed her. She couldn't really get over it; she couldn't see past it and realize he still cared for her. Whether he reached out or pushed her away, she pushed harder because she was afraid. Everything he did scared her, convinced her that he would reject her, and so, he did._

How foolish she was. Here she scorned Netto, blamed him for his thickness and stupidity, but _she_ was the one who learned nothing from Roll. She repeated her navi's mistakes and blindly shoved Netto further from her. He had been nothing but genuine with her, and perhaps that was his flaw: he couldn't lie to her and tell her she had no purpose there. He _believed_ she did, and he was right—if not for Roll, then for him. Who else was there to walk him along when he blinded himself? Who else saved him from Imi's Spike Tower?

Who else could he confess his fears to, that he would follow in his brother's footsteps, cripple his closest friend, and lose his grip on sanity altogether?

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" asked Netto.

"Even now, I take you for granted."

"Eh? You don't—"

She pressed two fingers to his lips. "I know you don't think so, but it's true. You know something, though? It's all right. I can do things differently now. _We_ can do things differently now."

He took her hand, and their fingers interwove. "I'd like that."

And for a minute, an hour, a day, only the warmth of each other's hands and the cool nighttime breeze mattered.

"Meiru-chan!"

Or maybe just a second.

"Is that…Yaito-chan?" said Meiru.

"Meiru-chan, Enzan, Netto?"

Netto pulled his hand away. "That means the others are here…"

Sure enough, Yaito and the nine remaining Cross Fusion Members—Laika, Pride, Charlie, Tesla, Dingo, Nenji, Miyabi, Yuriko, and Jasmine—stood together in the parlor.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" said Netto.

Some of them smiled; others simply nodded. Yuriko took off her sunglasses and looked him in the eye.

"I'll get Enzan," Netto said. "We all have some talking to do about Echo…and my brother."

**7**

Nakamura Hideki rattled the chair, but duct tape tied his wrists to the armrests. "Now you listen to me!"

"No, _you_ listen to me!" said Enzan. "Help us stop Echo; take responsibility for your daughter!"

"Her name is Imi, and she is _not_ my daughter!"

"You made her," said Yuuichirou. "You made her, and you abandoned her to Internet City. Do you know how many navis are abandoned every day? Do you know how many of them are deleted or permanently damaged by the end of a month by themselves? A year?"

"Don't you get self-righteous with me!" said Hideki. "I may be guilty of abandonment, but what are you guilty of? You thought you could cheat the death of your son? How's that working out for you?"

"Why you—"

"Doctor, doctor!" Raoul restrained Yuuichirou. "Calm yourself, doctor!"

Yuuichirou shook off Raoul, but he stepped back and leaned against the wall.

"I'm sorry," said Hideki. "We both have…'children' that frighten us now, don't we?"

Yuuichirou nodded but said nothing.

"I'm glad we can be philosophical and understanding," said Enzan. "It doesn't change that Echo and Rockman are on the loose."

"You have the knowledge, doctor," said Raoul. "If anyone can stop her, fix her, you can."

Hideki met their gaze. "You think if I thought I could fix her, I'd have run all this time? You think if I thought I could repair her, I'd have sent her away? I worked for _years_ on her algorithms! I spent months perfecting the sound of her voice, and she didn't even use it half the time because she mimicked others so much. I didn't see what was right in front of me."

"That she couldn't touch another navi without copying them?" said Raoul.

Hideki laughed grimly. "That may be the reason she's dangerous, but it's not why I sent her away. No, she's…perfectly flawed. She's everything I made her to be; she's _more_ than I made her to be. She copies exactly." He looked to Enzan with both regret and fear. "How can I fix that? You saw what happened at the Chandler: all reason has left her."

"It's your duty to try," said Yuuichirou.

Hideki stared at him, but soon enough he shook his head vehemently. "No, no! I can't! I want nothing more to do with her. Just let me disappear; leave me in peace."

Enzan groaned. "There's no peace for cowards," said Raoul.

Knock-knock.

"What?" said Enzan. "What now?"

Netto peeked inside. "The others are—"

"You're not supposed to be in here!" said Raoul. "Now you've seen Dr. Nakamura!"

Netto frowned. "I'm not stupid. Anybody who saw you drag him in would know it was Nakamura-hakase."

Enzan and Raoul exchanged a glance.

"The others are here," said Netto. "We'll be waiting outside." He shut the door.

"So what are you going to do?" said Nakamura. "Will you let me go?"

Enzan narrowed his eyes. "Raoul, Hikari-hakase? Cut him loose."

"You can't be serious!" said Yuuichirou.

"Of course I am," said Enzan. "It'd be a shame if Nakamura-hakase is still tied to the chair when his daughter arrives."

—

'_I guess it's no surprise,'_ said Rockman. _'They've all missed you.'_

Indeed, Netto was the center of attention, despite the occasional shouting and commotion from upstairs. Pride and Jasmine hugged him warmly. Yaito smacked him on the head for being dense, yet she too couldn't help getting teary-eyed.

"It's just something in my eye!" she said. "Honestly, what do _you_ think it is?"

Meiru and Netto shared a good laugh over that one. Netto and Dingo traded jibes about volleyball and soccer, vowing to meet on the pitch and prove who's boss once more. Nenji promised to make some fireworks when they returned home, and Charlie and Laika shook Netto's hand.

"It's been too long," said Laika. "I fear we waited…too long."

And so the joy of reunion faded, and they all remembered why they were there and who among them was still missing.

"Is it strange?" asked Jasmine. "To hear Rockman in your mind?"

Netto nodded.

"I can hardly believe what he's done," said Medi. "He was always brave and kind…"

'_Now I understand why she and Roll-chan fought.'_

Netto winced.

"You know, this talk of Rockman is all well and good," said Tesla, massaging her temple, "but we've flown for most of a day to get here, and I'd like to get some payback on Echo, yes?"

'_It's not that simple. When you fight Imi-chan, she runs away. She always runs away because she has no reason to fight. The only thing that matters to her is her father…'_

_You see, nii-san? It's useless to fight her. Come back home._

'_You don't believe that.'_

Rumble. Voices peaked and fell, and the group in the parlor stared at the closed door, the room on the floor above them.

"What are they doing to him?" said Pride. "It sounds terrible!"

"Nakamura-hakase is stubborn," said Meiru. "It takes a lot to change his mind."

_I do believe it. You can't take her on alone. You know what Roll said; she told you to stop!_

'_How do we know that was her? How do we know that wasn't Imi-chan trying to trick us again?'_

_You shot her because you thought Echo was taking over. Either you believe Roll was losing control, or you believe she never had it._

The elder brother's mind frothed and foamed. Bubbles of emotion, counter-arguments, and responses popped and burst, but the waters calmed. A single wave—a cohesive thought—rippled along the surface.

'_What else am I supposed to do? If I give up on her—on trying to help her, save her, or let her die—what will be left? If I come home, will you take me back?'_

_Of course I would! You're my brother, no matter what you do!_

'_Are you sure?'_

It was then Netto looked around again…

…and realized the whole group was staring at him.

'_Some things won't be the same.'_

On the coffee table, Glyde projected himself and stretched his regrown leg. He took a step and cringed, rubbing the wound.

_I guess—_

Bang! The upstairs door rattled on the hinges. Enzan marched from the room, and Yuuichirou and Raoul dragged the prisoner to the railing.

"Everyone," said Enzan, "I trust you recognize Dr. Nakamura?"

"You can't!" said Hideki. "You can't do it!"

"What is the meaning of this?" said Laika.

"Blues, are we recording?" said Enzan.

"Yes, Enzan-sama."

"Good." Enzan pointed the PET at Hideki, and the scientist's own image appeared on the holo-screen.

"You're out of your mind!" Hideki appealed to the Members. "Someone, tell him! He's out of his mind!"

Tesla scoffed. "If he's going to throw you over the side, I say do it."

"Nothing quite so severe." Enzan fished in his pockets, unveiled a signal jammer, and clicked it off.

"We're now transmitting, Enzan-sama," said Blues.

Enzan pointed the PET to himself. "Show me."

Monitors and television screens around the room lit up, all with footage of Enzan upper floor.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Enzan Ijuuin. Early yesterday, I spoke to you and claimed that we, the Net Police, had made a major breakthrough in stopping the violence that Echo has wrought on our world. It was unfortunate that that wasn't the case. I stood on the steps of Net Police Headquarters and lied to the world."

"You must stop him!" said Hideki. "He's a madman! He's—"

Raoul and Yuuichirou wrestled with him in the back.

"But today," said Enzan, "I can atone for that deception. Ladies and gentlemen of the world, I present to you Dr. Hideki Nakamura!"

He turned the camera on Hideki, who withered in the spotlight. "You see?" said Hideki. "I told you! He's crazy!"

Laika rose. "Enzan, what is this? You're exposing Dr. Nakamura? Explain!"

"Dr. Nakamura has refused to offer his help in stopping Echo!" said Enzan. "He would rather the world burn than face his shameful creation, but I will not let more innocent people fall victim to this sick game of hide and seek! Where Dr. Nakamura goes, his daughter follows, destroying all in her path! No, if we must sacrifice him to end this madness, so be it! Echo, if you're watching this feed, if this news reaches you, come to my penthouse at the Palladium Hotel! Your father is waiting for you here."

The screens in the room went blank. Hideki fell to his knees, aghast and stupefied. There was but one moment of abject silence, and then…

"Are you _crazy_? What have you done? What are you—"

"You're bringing her _here_? Do you know what kind of night I had just getting to this god-forsaken—"

"We're not ready! We're not even prepared to fight! How do you think—"

"I don't intend to fight her!" said Enzan, roaring over the room. "If Echo comes, I will stand _right here_ with Nakamura-hakase and not lift a finger against her."

Looks of anger and confusion turned to disgust. The Members pointed and shouted; they pled their case to Enzan, but he stood firm above them, and Hideki sat stunned on the floor.

_You're right, nii-san. Nothing's the same anymore._

'_Do you think she'll come? As many times as we've tried to trick her back, will she come?'_

_I don't know. What are people saying out there? If Enzan sent the feed—_

'_They aren't saying anything…'_

"What will it be?" Enzan asked Hideki. "Will you stay here and meet your daughter?"

He shuddered. "What else can I do?"

Enzan knelt down and looked him in the eye. "You can come with us. We'll take you somewhere safe, somewhere you can work. Help us find some way to stop Imi, and I promise you, we'll protect you with our dying breaths."

Hideki glared. "You? You want me to trust you? After that fiasco? She could be here any minute! How can you think anywhere is safe now?"

"I assure you, you _are_ safe."

"How?"

Enzan stood tall. "Blues, show them."

The screens and monitors flickered to life. A dozen different channels, all tuned to news or headlines, but what they showed were golf, floods, stock market trends.

"There's nothing," said Netto. "They don't—"

"What you saw," said Enzan, "was only shown in this room. No one has to know Nakamura-hakase was ever here." He looked to Hideki. "But make no mistake: I meant what I said. I will not endanger innocent lives for your shame or fear. If you won't help us, then I _will_ let Echo know exactly where you are. If you must be the bait for our trap, then so be it. What do you choose?"

With this admission, the Members relaxed. Several sighs of relief filled the room.

_It's good to know Enzan hasn't totally lost it yet._

'_It would be a good way to draw Imi-chan out, though, wouldn't it. If she thought her father were here…'_

Netto frowned.

"You don't give me much choice," said Hideki. He folded his arms and looked away. "You want my help? Fine. I make no promises. Just don't let her touch me, you understand?"

'_That's it…that's the key.'_

_No! No, nii-san, no! Don't do it; don't even think—_

"All right," said Enzan with a smile, "we're in business. Everyone, I know you just arrived, but—"

"He wants us to leave!" said Tesla. "Again! I don't believe this; do you think all this traveling is good for my health?"

"I could show you something worse for your health," said Miyabi. "Much worse."

"Nakamura-hakase must be moved," said Enzan. "No one outside this room can know, for his own safety, and Netto…"

Netto stared into space. "It's too late."

'_Everything's going to make sense again soon.'_

"I'm sorry," said Enzan, "but you need to leave. I don't know about Rockman, but you can't hear—"

"He's already done it!" said Netto. "He's done it, and I won't forgive him…"

"What is it?" asked Medi. "What has he done?"

"Look."

The screens, the televisions—their pixels ran red. Alerts and breaking news popped up across all media, and they all had the same thing to say.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Enzan Ijuuin. Early yesterday, I spoke to you…"

"He recorded it," said Netto. "He wants Echo to come."

Enzan sagged against the rail. His own words tormented him; they played like a rhyme in the round, with sinister singers who spat his words and sneered his intonations.

"Echo, if you're watching this feed, if this news reaches you, come to my penthouse at the Palladium Hotel! Your father is waiting for you here."

Thus, the course of action was clear. "This changes nothing," said Enzan. "We needed to move him. Now we simply can't afford to wait. Everyone, let's go!"

"What about Rockman?" asked Yaito. "You're going to take everybody and leave no one to look for him?"

'_Please, don't try to stop me, Netto-kun. Let me do this; let me find out the truth for myself—'_

_I don't care about truth! I don't care about any of that! You may never come back! She'll kill you!_

'_To hear Roll-chan speak to me and know it's her, to know how I can make up for my failures…'_

_But—_

"Don't worry, Netto." Meiru's slender fingers assuaged his fears. "We'll do something. We'll find him."

"But can we save him?" asked Netto. "Can we save him before he touches Imi?"

**8**

In a quiet corner of the spa, Nakamura Masuyo tightened her towel and dusted off her drawing pad. This picture would be a particular challenge: several figures, all in motion, and she would have to capture them in a snapshot, a still photo in her mind. On some days, she might've lacked the energy to attempt this, but fragrant steam invigorated her. She could put the world on her paper, shade its curves and sketch its shadows, and have ample energy to spare.

And in her lap, Imi tried her hand at art as well, but while she could mimic the lines and points her master drew, she found the exercise beyond her. "I don't think I can do it, Masuyo-chan. It just doesn't feel right."

"Don't try to copy what I'm doing. It's art; you have to bring something of yourself to it."

"Something of myself…" Imi went back to her own pad. Her pencil skipped and jumped and hastily sketched a new image of the spa: pointed, rough, and distorted. Imi frowned at the results. "I know it's not good, but what do you think?"

"It's how I started," said Masuyo. "Keep practicing."

"Okay!"

Beside his daughters, Hideki unfolded an evening newspaper, but in the corner of his eye, he watched his girls draw together and smiled, and in this smile, there was but a slight hint of relief. How paradoxical it was to find peace of mind in something that Imi couldn't copy.

Tink. "Uh, Papa?" Masuyo's arm dangled over the side of her wheelchair, but the pencil rolled out of reach.

"I've got it." He corralled the loose pencil and handed it back to his daughter…

Tink.

"Masuyo-chan?"

"I'm all right, Imi. Um, Papa?"

Once again, Hideki returned the pencil, but it wobbled and wavered in Masuyo's hand. Her fingers twitched and shook, and when the pencil flew away once more, she hardly noticed. She made a fist and held her wrist, but even the whole strength of her arm could not damp the vibration.

"Masuyo—"

"No, Papa." She refused the pencil, closed the pad, and gazed over the pools.

"But Masuyo-chan, what will you do now?"

"If I can't draw with my hands," she said, "I'll draw with my mind."

Imi looked to her father, who pocketed the pencil, shook his head, and sighed.

"I'll draw for you, Masuyo-chan," said Imi. "I'll draw for you until you get better."

"I won't be getting better, Imi."

"But Masuyo!" said Hideki.

"When I'm gone, you need to take care of Papa," said Masuyo. "Do you understand?"

Imi gaped. "But you can't—you're Masuyo-chan! You can't…you can't…"

"Do you promise me, Imi?"

She nodded. "I promise, Masuyo-chan. When you're…when you're…" She shook the thought away. "We'll still be a family, right, Papa?"

Hideki gulped.

"Right, Papa?"

—

_Right, Papa?_

PAM! The rafters splintered, and sawdust wafted in starlight.

PAM! Black rock shattered; the pools vaporized, and only a trickle of water seeped from the craters.

PAM PAM PAM! Mach Bursts collapsed the rickety building, and from afar, Imi walked away, wandered into the night.

_I should've known, right then, right there. Papa wasn't prepared for life after Masuyo, and neither was I. Not really. I had no control then, and now, someone keeps taking that control away from me._

Roll wasn't about to let that sit. _'I think you should go to sleep, Imi-chan.'_

_Go to sleep? Sleep, so you can take me over again? No, Roll-san, there is no sleep, not anymore. No matter how tired I am, I won't sleep. That's what you accomplished. Are you happy now?_

'_You have none of my sympathy, Imi-chan. If I could do it again, I would.'_

_Really? You'd torment Rockman-san again? You wanted him to shoot you, is that it?_

'_You know that's not—'_

_You're the one causing him pain. It's because of you he does these things, like shooting Glyde-san._

'_We don't know why he did that.'_

_I know he did it to find you. Or me. Maybe both of us._

Roll went quiet.

_Are you afraid?_

The spark of resistance flared within Roll, but she couldn't deny her feelings. Imi knew them the instant she knew herself.

'_Yes.'_

_Rockman-san isn't who he used to be, is he._

'_No.'_

Imi sat on the side of the road. In both directions, dark curves and murky forest lined the path. _It makes me sad, too. I always respected Rockman-san. He should've made you happy. He should never have rejected you._

'_Imi-chan?'_

_Yes?_

'_Be quiet.'_

_I'm trying to be sympathetic._

'_You think I want sympathy from the person who killed me?'_

_You're taking this too personally._

'_How am I supposed to take it? For all we know, Rockman is mad; he's as insane as you—'_

_I'm not crazy._

'…_and there's nothing I can do. I tried to tell him; I wanted to, but it just didn't work right! Between you and Blues and Searchman—'_

_It all fell apart. It always falls apart, for both of us: for me with Papa, and for you with Rockman-san._

Roll nodded. Mentally, perhaps, but she nodded all the same.

So Imi wandered. She walked; she flew. She soared over rooftops and crept along the highway, and the world reflected her fears—its desolation mirrored her own. Deer and squirrels fled from her, and the roads and skies were empty, terribly empty. The only signs of humanity were in the city, off on the horizon, but like Imi, fifty-eight days of struggle weighed on the town and choked the life from it.

How tempting it was—for both of them—to stand at a crosswalk and let an eighteen-wheeler roll them over, to ride a column of hot air into space and fall, fall, fall…

But even high above the skyscrapers, the crowds of pedestrians, the booming voice, the cry of a challenge attracted her.

"Echo, if you're watching this feed, if this news reaches you, come to my penthouse at the Palladium Hotel! Your father is waiting for you here."

'_It's a trap. It has to be.'_

Imi flapped Falzer's wings and fluttered to ground level. As she swooped in, she eyed the grand hotel and its patron in the lobby, who fled and shouted and screamed.

_I don't care anymore._

—

"Imi!"

Meiru, Yaito, and Netto scattered around the block, and from traffic cameras and pay phones, Rockman watched them, watched for Imi.

'_Please, nii-san, I beg you! Don't do this!'_

Netto was especially persistent. He checked the stoplights, scanned the street for alleys. He knew what Rockman saw, and he determined to track down his brother's vantage point, reach Imi before Rockman could. Whoever found her first would color her opinions, tell her what she most or least wanted to hear.

Thus, Netto chased his brother, but Rockman warped from camera to camera, and in less than a second, Netto found himself hundreds of meters away again.

_Though you hear my thoughts, you don't know…you can't. Papa made me to be there for you, but as a navi, I can't be, not really. What good are we as Net Saviors if someone like Imi-chan can run free? I was Roll-chan's friend, but I broke her heart. I killed her. I need to make up for that._

'_Even if you touch her, even if Roll talks to you in those few seconds, Imi will kill you! She will murder you and take you away! What do you think that'll do to me? You think I can stand by and let my brother die again?'_

_You have to help me._

'_No!'_

_I'm sorry, Netto-kun, but I know you better. I know that if it came down to me and Imi-chan, you _will_ help me, as much as you might say or think you won't._

'_You think Roll will like what you've done? Using me, shooting Glyde?'_

Rockman jumped to another intersection, but his eyes saw not the view of the road. "How could you?" Roll had said. "He was our friend! He _is_ our friend!"

'_What if you don't like what she has to say to you?'_

No, no! He looked her in the eye; if she were angry, her gaze would've bored into him like a laser, but no, it was soft, gentle, like the golden hues of incandescent light. There was fear, yes, and sorrow, too—they flickered across her face—but in the end, the love was there. She too yearned for him, just as he had for her, all these weeks…

…and there she was. She eased herself to ground and hovered outside the lobby.

_This is the time. If Roll-chan is still in pain, I will end it like I promised. If not…I must know. This is the only way for me to know._

"Meiru, Yaito-chan, she's at the front entrance!" called Netto. "Hurry!"

But Rockman was faster. He invaded the lobby's televisions, and his image called to her. "Imi-chan!"

She cocked her head, inched inside, and the guests and concierge bolted for the doors.

"Rockman-san?" she said. "What are you doing here?"

"I know a way around, into Enzan's. There's a gap in the signal jammers."

"You're…helping me?"

"There's nothing to be served by fighting each other. You can always run away, and anyone who stands up to you will only get people hurt."

Imi shook her head. "Roll-san doesn't like this."

"It's the best thing for everyone," Rockman assured her. "There doesn't have to be any more bloodshed. You can see your papa again."

She studied him carefully. She bit her lip; her eyes watered. "I need him," she said. "I need Papa…" She opened a Rush Hole in the wall, and the exit portal appeared beside Rockman. One step in, and her leg and hand digitized. "There's no life for me without Papa…"

_She's coming to me…_

"Stop!" Netto thudded on the revolving door; he dashed inside. "Echo—Imi, don't do it! Run away; he's tricking you!"

She looked to the screen in horror. "Rockman-san? Have you lied to me?"

He yanked her by the arm, through the Rush Hole.

"No!" said Netto, aghast. "Nii-san, no!"

Imi lunged against his grip. "Rockman-san, what have you done? Why? You know what this means!"

"All this time I've been chasing you, chasing you and Roll-chan. Now it's come to the point where I don't know if what she says is really you or her. I need to be sure. I need to hear her again."

'_Rockman!'_

He smiled. "And now I do."


	19. Reunion

**Chapter Sixteen**

"**Reunion"**

It was warm. The sand radiated heat and sifted between her fingers. The ocean waves crashed upon shore, and foamy water seeped into the ground. A setting sun blazed over the sea, and majestic orange and red hues sparkled on the whitecaps. The wind rustled palm fronds, which cast dancing shadows on the beach.

"Isn't it nice?" asked Rockman. "Do you like it?"

Roll nodded. She sat up and curled her fingers, and the sand trickled from her grip—such a soothing, wonderful sound. Peaceful, tranquil.

Not like outside. On the whispers of the wind, the sounds of battle echoed and rumbled. Great blasts shook the sand dunes; shockwaves rattled the trees.

"You don't have to hear it," said Rockman. "Just close your eyes; pretend it isn't there. I don't want anything to spoil this."

So she focused on the wind and the thin, wispy clouds that rolled past, and all other sights and sounds—the painful, intense flashes of color that bored into her mind—they all faded away. She let nothing disrupt their paradise.

For Rockman and Roll were together again.

**1**

"No!"

Imi ripped her hand away, free of Rockman's grasp.

"No, Imi-chan!" he said. "Give it back, I heard her, I—"

"You knew what it meant!" she said. "Don't pretend you didn't; I _know_!"

It meant she would kill him. She would hound him, day and night, until she silenced him, until she heard his voice in her mind no more. There would be no peace for Imi until Hikari Saito was dead.

Again. Netto doubled over and leaned against the front desk. For better or for worse, Rockman's thoughts and feelings, though they invaded his mind, were also a keen reminded that he was alive and well. They'd assured him that no harm would befall Rockman without Netto knowing about it, and beyond that, it was the only hope to dissuade Rockman from the consequences of his grief, his total break from reality.

And now, like too many times before, it made Netto sick. Terror and anxiety churned his stomach. Raw acid surged up his throat.

_Imi…she's going to kill him._

The fear gushed from his mouth. It simmered in the soil of a poor potted plant and sank into the dirt.

Well, at least it was gone, out of his system. Being free of those feelings wouldn't save Rockman, but it would give Netto a better chance to find some way out…

'_You could help me.'_

On the many screens, Imi and Rockman dueled. Imi, with her vast array of weapons, summoned spikes from the ground and showered Rockman in electricity. He dodged and fired back with buster bolts and Charge Shots, but beyond these two abilities, his attacks were limited. If he charged forward, forced her into hand-to-hand combat, she would slice him in two without a second thought.

'_You must help me, Netto-kun! Imi-chan is right; this is the only way for us now.'_

Netto shook his head. He wiped traces of chicken and basil from his lips and stared his brother down. _I won't let you use me._

Pew! Imi blasted Rockman with his own buster. Pew pew pew!

Netto flinched and twitched. His shoulder twinged; his knees buckled.

'_Help me, Netto-kun! Help me help yourself!'_

Help him? Help him do what? There was no point in fighting Imi. She obeyed no set of rules, followed no code of honor. She had no qualms about leaving the field of battle, and even if touching Rockman, if copying his mind and soul into her own compelled her to fight, what good would come of it? What good ever came of combat with her?

'_You know as well as I do—if we can stop Imi-chan, everything will be right again. We can go home.'_

Home. Laika and the others told Netto all about home. The newsmen, the reporters—they told him about home, too. Viruses paraded through his town like they owned it. Whether on the streets or within vast networks, the threats of the cyberworld never rested. They never stopped coming, yet he and Rockman abandoned home. They left their mother and father to worry and plead for their return; they left their friends to cover their absence, take on the responsibilities they shirked.

_We should be there, not here. We shouldn't be here at all._

'_But we _are_ here! Are you listening to me?'_

Such a silly question. He was always listening; he listened whether he wanted to or not. Over the weeks, he built up walls and filters, but they damped little of the stray thoughts and feelings, let alone the strong ones.

When Roll called out to Rockman, when she cried across the link between Rockman and Imi, the conduit of touch…Netto heard it plain as day. Had it been Meiru instead…

"Netto!"

…wouldn't he have done the same?

Meiru and Yaito rushed into the lobby, but one look at the battle before them, and they both halted in their tracks.

"It can't be," said Meiru. "Did he—did Rockman—"

Netto nodded.

"He's lost his mind!" said Yaito. "Does he _want_ her to delete him?"

"Roll spoke to him," said Netto, "just for a moment, but then Imi got free."

"Well, what can we do?" said Yaito.

As Rockman evaded Imi's offensive, Netto searched his pockets. He fished up a handful of battle chips and spread them over his palm. Shiny metal and bold, bright images—the weapons of war, the methods of victory.

It was exactly what Rockman wanted. He'd said it himself: if it came down to him and Imi, Netto would help his brother, help him with his dying breath if he must. He'd planned on Netto's help—nay, he _demanded_ it.

'_That's not what I meant! Netto-kun, it's just—'_

He closed his fist. Netto wanted no part of these explanations. His brother could rationalize all he liked; it wouldn't change the truth. Here he was, sick with the impending threat of Saito's death, but to come to his aid…it wouldn't be just an offer of help.

It was coercion.

PAM! Imi's Gold Fist slugged Rockman in the chest, and both boys staggered, one to the ground, the other into Meiru's arms. Netto heaved and panted; though the damage was all in his mind, it felt real enough. His ribcage collapsed, and he coughed and puffed. The battle chips scattered, and the PET clunked on the tile floor.

"Netto! Are you all right?"

As well as he could be, for this was the coercion Rockman exacted upon him. Maybe his brother failed to think of it, or maybe he had misunderstood the implications. Either way, the truth was the same: Netto and Rockman shared the joys of victory _and_ the agony of defeat, and if Imi should prevail—if she should strike Rockman down bit by bit—Netto would suffer with him. It wasn't enough that he would grieve his brother's second death. His own body and mind were at stake.

"Netto? Netto, don't! You can't!"

He retrieved the lost chips, fanned them between his fingers, and stared at the screen above.

_I'll help you, nii-san. I'll help you, but not because I feel what you feel. I don't want you to die again—I _can't_ let you die again—but in the end, you're making me help you, and that makes me not want to._

Rockman gazed back, into the real world, but his look was uncertain. His eyes searched his brother's face to affirm what the link told him.

But Netto said nothing, thought nothing. This was a time of battle, of friends and enemies, and Rockman, whatever he'd become now, was not the enemy.

Imi was.

"Battle Chip: Wide Blade, slot-in!"

Rockman leapt high with the yellow sword, and the battle began anew.

—

"I wouldn't worry," said Rockman. "Now that Netto-kun is helping us, we might not have much time left."

Roll sat up. She crossed her legs, and the sands beneath shifted. It was a wonderful feeling; now she understood why humans loved the beach so. The grains were fine and flowed freely, like a bed of silk. It was nearly criminal to be here, to vacation in paradise, far away from the battle, from the real world.

That wasn't to say it was an easy decision, or even one she particularly liked. When Rockman latched onto Imi, the girl's mind erupted in chaos. The choir of souls shrieked and cursed, as if they detested the idea of a new singer in the group. Imi was paradoxically distraught.

"No…" she'd murmured. "Not Rockman-san! I don't want to have to kill Rockman-san…"

But the knowledge flowed into her. Everything Rockman was—since his father crafted him from Saito's brain to his cold betrayal of Glyde, his daring gambit to lure Imi into the net and make contact with her—invaded Imi's mind, and it was all Roll could do to yell over this flood of thoughts and memories.

"Rockman!"

"Can you tell me?" His disembodied voice echoed in the chamber. "Tell me, Roll-chan, what should I do?"

Seconds. Mere seconds to react, and she knew not what to say. For this he'd touched Imi, and yet Roll let time slip away. "I don't know…Rockman, I don't—"

The choir hushed. There was a subtle flash, but it had no source.

"No!" Imi cried, and she wrenched her wrist away from Rockman. She broke the bond between them, but in its place…

"Roll-chan?"

She jumped, startled. To have this voice suddenly beside her—

"It's happened again." Imi stared the two of them down: Roll…and Rockman.

"I don't understand," he said. "What is this? What have you done, Imi-chan?"

"You ask what _I've_ done? You know! What do you think? Why do you think Roll-san is with you here? This is my mind, Rockman-san! This is what happens when you touch me!"

She broke in attack: she charged and shot and swiped at Rockman—not this one in her choir hall, but the real one, outside her mind.

"Stop this, Imi-chan!" said Roll. "I won't let you hurt him!"

"And I won't let him stay here," said Imi. "I see what he's done. Do you?"

Did she see? It was all within her grasp; Rockman's memories blended with Imi's, with her own. She could know them if she sought them out—discover his sorrow and guilt over her death, the cold rage that drove him to Ameroupe with Netto, his descent in creating Sim and trying to find a substitute for her and Imi. All these things she knew, and dozens more that she couldn't know, couldn't fathom. She looked to him but saw only blackness, with no way to know how far it reached.

"I missed you."

She blinked. "What?"

His hand, his knuckles, brushed her cheek. "I could live with this, even if it isn't real…"

"But I can't," said Imi, hovering in the spotlight, "even _though_ it isn't real."

Maybe it wasn't real, but Roll held Rockman's hand between her own, and real or not in the objective sense, she felt his gentle caress. Real or not, his behavior confused her. Sure, his warm smile was nothing new—in the past, it would've poured joy into her heart—but that he should feel it now, after scorning her when she confessed to him, as Imi relentlessly pursued the real Rockman outside…

No, this Rockman was different. This Rockman returned her affections, however belatedly. He'd told her he loved her, and if nothing else of his experiences over the last two months penetrated her thoughts, his touch, his elation at finding her, surely did.

"I don't care." Roll turned to Imi. "I don't care if it's not real. I'm not real, and neither is he, but the Rockman out there—he's real, and he loves me!"

She charged the pedestal, but Imi swatted her down and sent her skidding on the hall floor.

"Get out of here," said Imi. "Go hide in the choir with Masuyo-chan if you want."

Roll scrambled to her feet, but a blue glove held her back.

"I wouldn't worry," he said. "I'm not the one in trouble out there."

Imi peppered his real-life counterpart with buster bolts.

"You'll see," said Rockman. "Netto-kun will help, and then Imi-chan won't last."

"So why isn't he?" asked Imi. "Why does he let me hurt you?"

That was the question, wasn't it? Yet Rockman ignored the matter and turned all his attentions elsewhere. "Come, Roll-chan. I don't want to spend my last moments with Imi-chan—whether she deletes me or I her. Let's go somewhere. Let's enjoy this time we have together."

"But where can we go?"

He smiled. "I know just the place."

True to his word, Rockman dazzled Roll, whisked her away to a forgotten shore. The salty sea breeze tickled her face, and tropical sun wrapped her in a warm blanket of air.

"Rockman," she said, "how—?"

"I built this place," he said. "I built it in my mind, just for you."

Just for her. Nobody'd ever given her paradise before. Gifts, sure—wonderful gifts of dresses from Meiru, flowers from Gutsman—but nothing to compare with this. The waves lapped at her feet, and the palm trees swayed gently, in rhythm with an unseen beat.

More than that, all her fears, her worries, evaporated. The setting sun burned them away, and Roll was more than glad to see them gone. For too long, she'd clashed with Imi, worried over Meiru and Rockman. She would not give up this peace of mind, for though it was only illusion, it was real enough.

Real enough for Rockman, too. He held her hips, brought her close. That's why this was paradise. It was the stuff of dreams, of lonely nights at Meiru's bedside when Roll would gaze out the window, across the lawn to Netto's house, and wonder if Rockman might look back at her. She thought maybe, just maybe, he would jump into the net, stand beside her, and tell her everything she wanted to hear, and then they would come together, as now, and touch lips…

Roll pulled away, opened her eyes. She tingled all over; her heart beat fast. She wanted to stay next to him forever, but a shadow on the sands caught her eye.

'_He isn't the same, you know.'_ The specter stood motionless on the beach, and the silver streaks in her hair scattered the sun's rays. _'He isn't real.'_

Roll shook her head. _Neither am I, Masuyo-san. I don't care._

Yet Rockman closed his eyes, and a dreamy smile appeared on his face—a dreamy smile and a tear.

_Why is he crying? Because he's happy?_

Masuyo stared at Roll. _'He's not the same. You can't stay with him forever.'_

But Roll would hear none of this. She hugged Rockman tight, let his tears fall on her shoulder and back. "It's all right, Rockman," she said. "I'm here now, and I'm not going away. I'm not—"

She looked past him, but the ghost of Masuyo was gone.

—

Far from the scene of battle or Roll and Rockman's fantasy isle, red and blue lights pierced the night, and sirens wailed over the busy streets. A convoy of armored vehicles parted traffic and barreled down the middle of the road. It stopped for neither man nor machine, and it maneuvered through the maze of city streets as aircraft soared above, but what worried the occupants wasn't what lay before them—an impending trip to destination unknown.

It was what lay behind. Presently, Enzan had rounded up the Members and Nakamura, hurried them downstairs to scrambled cars. This city was no longer safe; Rockman betrayed them. The only hope for defeating Imi was Nakamura, and his safety rested in their hands. Thus, the convoy proceeded directly to the tarmac. They would board the plane at once.

Yet one loose end called back to them. "You have to do something!" said Meiru, fidgeting over her PET. "Netto and Rockman—they're fighting Imi, alone! Glyde is still too hurt to help them; they need you!"

It was a compelling argument—decidedly simple, too. Rockman had been their friend, after all, whatever he might be now. The madness that'd taken hold of him notwithstanding, it would be a hard blow if Imi were to kill him.

Not everyone felt that way. "Why should we help him?" said Magnetman. "Why should we risk our lives if he could stab us in the back and laugh over our remains?"

"He's not like that!" said Medi. "No matter how desperate, no matter how _insane_ you think him, Rockman's still on our side. We owe him. I owe him my life; we all owe him our lives several times over. We should give him a chance!"

But over Medi's impassioned plea came Searchman's cold logic. "I saw him shoot a navi. That navi was unarmed and did not resist him, and for that, Rockman shot out his leg. It doesn't matter that it grew back. When Rockman put a gun on him, he became the enemy, as much as we might dislike it!"

"You know what?" said Tomahawkman. "I don't believe it. I don't believe it for one second. I've fought with him, and I've fought against him. I won't believe Rockman's sunk so far; I won't!"

Searchman raised an eyebrow. "Are you accusing me of deception?"

"I'm saying you didn't see it right!"

"Get over it," said Magnetman. "Whatever we 'owe' or don't, your faith in him is misplaced."

Medi stomped over to him and glared. "Take. That. Back."

"No."

She waved a mitten at him. "Now you listen—"

"I'm not taking orders from a glorified—"

"Enough, both of you!" said Napalmman. "We need to get it together; we need to—"

But a handful of other voices shouted him down, and not just within the net, either. Outside, Tesla barked at Jasmine, who wrung her hands and fumed. Laika and Charlie intervened, but they only embroiled themselves in the argument as well.

_This is bad. We need to work together; if we're divided like this, Echo will finish the job tear us in half._

"What do you think, Blues?"

The navi looked aside, in conference with his operator. It was, in all truth, too familiar a sight. Enzan, with an intense frown, would ask Blues for an opinion, a suggestion, anything to resolve the latest crisis at hand, and Blues regretted that sometimes, he had no answer. Still, he offered what advice he could and hoped that was enough.

Now, however, the crisis wasn't just Enzan's. These navis that scuffled and bickered were his peers—not his equals, perhaps, but peers all the same. You could call them colleagues, but not friends. Blues was skeptical of the concept, really. What was a friend? The word wafted in the wind, floated away on the slightest breeze. Some people you trust; others you don't. There was no more complexity than that. Blues trusted his colleagues among the Cross Fusion Members—trusted that they would guard his life as he would theirs—but outside of Searchman and Thunderman, his most frequent partners in crime-fighting, he held little desire to confide in these navis. Comrades they might be; they were _not_ friends.

And Rockman was no different, was he? Over two months of hiding at Enzan's, he seldom mentioned Roll's death or elaborated on his training sessions with Netto. Perhaps, as Blues saw these other navis—largely strangers to him, even though he knew their faces and names—Rockman felt the same of Blues. He was not someone to confide in, either, and that was Blues's mistake.

"He went mad right before our eyes," said Blues, "and we hardly suspected."

Enzan raised an eyebrow. "We _did_ suspect."

"No, we didn't. We knew something was wrong, but not…"

The scuffle amongst the operators and navis escalated; Tesla swiped at the air, and Medi dangled a chemical capsule in her fingers.

"…not like this," said Enzan, slotting in a chip. Blues swung the Z-Saber overhead. The Sonic Boom parted the combatants, and the Medi Capsule spiraled away, exploding harmlessly.

It was in this tense, awkward silence that Blues considered another possibility. What if Rockman had not gone astray? What if, instead, he were only ahead of them, further down the path to reckoning? What should become of them if they repeated his mistakes, riddled themselves with doubt and guilt, anger and rage? It happened here, amongst the navis. It happened there, between the humans. Here and there it was the same, and they would have to be smarter, wiser, to avoid retracing history.

He and Enzan, his only master and confidante.

"We're going," said Blues. "We're going to Rockman's side to fight Echo because I know it's what we should do. Stay and argue if you want; if we don't go to his aid, if we don't face her, she won't stop with him. She won't stop with _us_."

At that, the other navis desisted. They met his gaze—some wary, others sure—but Blues didn't need their confidence, only their obedience. They needed only follow his lead.

"Come," he said. "We will save Rockman, from himself if we must."

—

Back and forth they clashed—Imi and Rockman. They engulfed one another in fire and drowned in each other's geysers and Aqua Towers. They slashed and thrust and parried, wielded one, two, or four swords between them. Spires of wood and stone rattled the ground and erupted painfully, but still they fought on. It was a battle of souls…and of silence.

It was silent, for outside of grunts and yelps of agony, they said nothing, and neither did the spectators. Netto studied the battlefield with his eyes and mind, and Meiru and Yaito watched, both helpless to intervene with their navis dead or crippled, and even as police lights flashed on the windows, they took no heed. Rockman cut and shot Imi, spraying her data, and she pummeled him (and Netto) in return.

Thus, they panted. They groaned. Aches and pains of joints and flesh manifested themselves as gasps of air, sweat on the brow.

It was deadlock.

But the pings of data surrounded the field. They formed from scattered data and stood together, a united front.

"The time has come, Echo!" Blues thrust his arm forward, and a searing red blade enveloped it. He was not the only one at the ready, either. Searchman lined up his rifle sight. Tomahawkman leveled his axe at her. Shadowman gripped his sword, and Knightman swung his ball and chain. Napalmman locked his turrets, Thunderman's discs sparked, and Magnetman summoned a Mag Ball between his fingers. Needleman stuck a point in the ground, Gyroman aimed the Gryo Buster, and Medi held a capsule, poised to hurl it over the field.

But Imi shook her head, curling space and time in her hands. "I'm not afraid. You only make me stronger."

"We'll see about that," said Blues. "Sonic Boom!"

"Mach Burst."

The waves collided, shattered each other with a deafening boom. The air cleared, however, and both sides were still standing.

"Go!" said Blues. "Attack!"

A flurry of projectiles bombarded Imi, and though she erected a Dream Aura to protect herself, the white shield shattered, and she lay smoking on the ground.

"Not so tough now, are you," said Blues.

She staggered to her feet, two swords in hand, and raised them overhead.

Blues knew what it was. "Everyone, move! Dream Sword!"

She plowed the blade into the floor and showered the battlefield in its brilliant light. "This battle hasn't begun, Blues-san," she said, "and you won't be the one to finish it."

**2**

But Rockman was all smiles. "I'm glad they came, aren't you?"

Roll shuffled her feet in the crashing waves and nodded.

"Although…I'm sad."

She looked up quizzically.

"When Imi-chan dies," said Rockman, "there won't be any more of this."

Roll stopped, and the water splashed on her ankles.

"Why don't we go?" He pointed up the coast. "You see the cliff? Over there? That'd be fun, right?"

In truth, he gave her little room for argument. He took her arm-in-arm and led her along the shore, but Roll's steps were slow. She lagged behind, and with good reason.

'_He's not the same. You know that. How can you try to forget?'_

Masuyo's ghost haunted her, invaded their paradise, and it was all Roll could do to shut her out. She was determined to enjoy this time.

'_He's not the same.'_

No, he wasn't the same; he was better! He showed her love. He held her close and kissed her. Her shoes might've crunched the sand beneath, but in truth, she floated, soared on the currents of love. As they walked, he pointed out all the little details: a small, grassy clearing where they could picnic among the animals and a cool, quiet forest where songbirds chirped their harmonies.

And then they reached the cliff. The long, treacherous hike invigorated both of them, and their hearts raced all the more when they towered over the island. Sunlight sparkled on the ocean, and the hills rolled with greenery. The trees sprouted and blossomed for her, all for her; Rockman gave her this paradise, and far be it for her to refuse it. Neither Masuyo nor Imi would deprive her of this chance, for it was freedom—freedom from Imi's slaughter, from Masuyo's continual urgings to resist.

'_He's not real.'_

Neither was she. The best Roll could hope for was to be forever trapped in Imi's mind; every other possibility was unstable. She could resurge and take control again, but with the choir and Imi against her, she would fail, and not only that, she would hurt and confuse Rockman again if she tried. And if Imi died…well, that was that. Roll wasn't about to let her dying thoughts (for the second time now) be anything other than pleasant. They deserved that much; both of them did.

'_Are you sure that's what he deserves?'_

The cliff and the shoreline vanished. Roll hovered in a void, black and shapeless, until…

"_Yaito-sama!"_

_A pale room, bright lights. Laika and Yaito rose, but horror and fear twisted their faces, and Glyde, in his polished brown armor, fled from Roll. He strode away, step by step, his back to her, but her arm (it was blue now?) leveled the wide-mouthed cannon, and the pink bolt—_

"_AGH!" He stumbled and fell. His data splattered; his leg spun on the table and fizzled, and Roll jammed the Rockbuster against his head._

Roll backpedaled.

'_Do you see now?'_

"Roll-chan?"

The waves crashed on the base of the cliff. Roll scrambled to her feet, but Masuyo's ghost was nowhere to be found.

"What happened?" asked Rockman. "Are you all right?"

"That's what you did, isn't it?" she said. "That's what happened to Glyde…"

"It's not Masuyo-chan again, is it?" He reached out to her. "Is she bothering—"

Roll recoiled. "Why _did_ you do it? I saw it; he did nothing to you!"

"He was going to shut it off! Glyde and Yaito-chan and Laika—they were all against me! I needed to find you, and they were going to take that away."

"For what? To kill me?"

He looked away, sat at cliff's edge, and dangled his legs over the side.

'_He doesn't know. The world doesn't make sense to him anymore.'_

And no doubt Roll was to blame. Her death catapulted him here, set him on this chain of events—

'_No! That doesn't excuse Imi, and it doesn't excuse him!'_

_What do you want from me? Why do you keep saying these things? Why don't you leave me alone?_

'_Because as long as you stay here, in this dream, you can't save him.'_

_Rockman?_

He tapped his boots on the cliff face, and loose rock tumbled, splashing in the foam below.

'_No, not him. The other one.'_

—

The one who scampered from the Dream Sword shockwave and buried himself in a barrier to absorb the remaining blast.

"This isn't your fight!" he called to the others. "Go from here! Go before you're hurt!"

The other navis emerged from their cover as well. "We're not afraid, Rockman," said Medi. "We're here for you."

_Isn't that sweet._

"But—"

"No talking!" said Magnetman. "Mag Ball!" The purple orb spiraled toward Imi…

_I can do that, too._ And another intercepted it; the pair annihilated.

But the match was far from over; Blues, Tomahawkman, and Knightman marched forward, into the fray. As Blues and Tomahawkman swiped at her, Knightman wrecked the ground beneath Imi's feet.

_This is bad; I should run!_

And run she did, but with three navis surrounding her and the rest sniping away from afar, this was not an easy prospect, and furthermore, if she ran, she might never get another chance…

'_I'm glad they came, aren't you?'_

Rockman's voice and thoughts, though occupied with Roll, still murmured to her. She knew exactly his loss of faith, his aimless quest for purpose. It saddened her deeply, for Rockman, despite standing in her way, had inspired her, too. He'd been the pinnacle of kindness, and in a way, Imi couldn't help but feel she'd stolen that, but it was not, to her dismay, unexpected. Her first choir—Slateman, Grove, Rouletteman, and, briefly, Mazeman—had thought much the same would happen. These navis she looked to for courage and strength would pass the breaking point if she pushed them hard enough, and push she did, push them so far. Like a nail in a stubborn two-by-four, she hammered on them, and just as a hit on the grain splits the beam, so did Roll…and now Rockman, too.

As much as she pitied him, she knew the feeling was hardly reciprocal. Roll and Rockman despised her for what she'd done, and not without reason, sure, but what must she do to atone? Every offer Roll rejected; every pang of guilt she scrubbed with needles and dabbed salt in the wounds. No amount of repentance would ever suffice, and Imi'd long given up trying.

And now she had two detractors, and even if they distracted one another, she knew it wouldn't last. Masuyo was in their fantasy land, urging Roll to come back and fight. It was distant, quiet, like when parents speak in hushed whispers on the other side of the house. As Masuyo slipped closer and closer to death, Imi found herself on the outside of many conversations like that, neither for reasons she could fathom nor her father explain. That was what Roll, Masuyo, and Rockman were doing, even now as she clanked swords with Blues and lugged Knightman like a sledgehammer in her vines, hoping to smash the enemy into submission.

Oh, but they were good, so good. More than that, they were coordinated; they outnumbered her. The melee team charged her, attacked her face. They dared her to touch them. They punched and kicked, and by reflex, she shied away. It was tempting, to let their data truly met, to show them just what fate they risked. She could show them pain, after all. How would Roll's death affect them? Or Rockman's bitter decisions to abandon Netto, to try to save Roll by killing her or kill her by saving her? So confused he was; such doubt could cripple them. It was tempting, but she resisted; only Rockman she could touch now, and she did. She pounded Greiga's claws into his side, but they merely dented his Metal Soul. She torched him alive, yet the others from afar showered him in cooling water and then blasted her with lightning for good measure. All along, the others—Thunderman and Searchman, Magnetman and Medi, Napalmman and Gyroman—they shot at openings that their five companions forced Imi into. Needleman jabbed his spikes, and Shadowman popped in and out of space and time. Had her own life not been at risk, Imi might've reveled in the experience: so many new abilities she copied at sight and used instantly to beat back her attackers, but even still, she was but one girl, and they were many, so many.

_I need to thin them out. No more playing defensive: Rockman-san may get too tired to fight and run, or maybe Netto-san will make that decision for him. Their papa could come down any minute; he's working on a cure, isn't he? He's trying to separate them, and then Rockman-san could start thinking straight again._

Thinking straight would be a change; the Rockman of her mind sat at cliff's edge, uncertain, unsure.

That was another factor, too—Masuyo's interference. If she succeeded, Roll might return to center stage and pester Imi, and Rockman could easily join her. There was no time for delay, no time to let those voices creep back into the forefront of her mind. Rockman needed to die _now_; it was unfortunate, it was sad, but it was _necessary_. Her sanity depended on it.

But where to start?

"NS Tackle!"

Ah, of course: foolish, brazen Magnetman. He could double himself all he liked; it only made him half as strong and threatening, and more than that, he had a dire weakness, one Imi exploited many times before against Thunderman. So vulnerable was electromagnetism that a little wood could ruin the day.

Magnetman's north and south components—one red, one blue—charged the melee pile. They lobbed Mag Missiles and brandished crackling Elec Swords. The projectiles forced the other navis to clear out, however: Blues held his forces back as the two Magnetmen leapt in…

CRUNCH! The swords stuck in Imi's bark; she assumed the form of Woodman, just for that brief instant, and so, the sparks were harmless against her. The two clones stared in horror, unable to free themselves, unable to run from twin Bamboo Swords.

"Bye-bye, Magnet-san." She impaled them both, and only one Magnetman remained, gushing data on the floor.

"Give me some cover!" said Blues. "Medi!"

TCH-CHEW! Searchman shot Imi back, knocking her off the mark for the killing blow. Blues dragged Magentman's bleeding frame to Medi, who crouched over him.

"It's all right. Just lie still." Her fingertips glowed brightly. "Healing Pulse!"

A line of energy washed over Magnetman; it sealed his wounds, rejuvenated him. He sat up and rose to his feet, woozy perhaps, but otherwise sound of body.

"That's why you can't win, Echo!" said Medi. "I won't let you hurt _anyone_ while I'm here, least of all Rockman!"

_Please, spare me the—_

"Healing Bomb!"

The pulse ripped life force from Imi's chest. Her arms and legs turned gooey, and the ground under her softened, unsteady. She took to a knee, blinked her eyes to clear the world around her, just as the white orb split among the combatants and invigorated them, too.

_I can't give up; I won't give up! Papa was so close to me…_

But her body moved weakly. She touched her fingers, and they stuck together, spewed data when she forced them apart.

The navis encircled her, and Medi looked on, uncertain. Even she seemed surprised at the power of the attack.

"What do you say now, Imi-chan?" The tip of a Samurai Sword grazed her face, and Rockman was prepared to do much more than that. "What do you say?"

Following his lead, the Members' navis drew their weapons. Medi herself stood poised to beat Imi with a capsule should it come to that.

_That's it, isn't it? Medi-san is the key…_

"Well, Imi-chan?" said Rockman.

"I only have one thing to say."

"To your papa?"

"No, to you. To all of you."

"What then?"

She closed her eyes. _I just need the will; I just need the power for one more, and if I can—_

"Imi-chan!"

She opened her eyes and hands, and pure light engulfed them. "DIE!"

Rockman screamed! He clutched his chest, but raw energy broke away from him. The others, too, howled and cried, for Imi sucked the life from them. She stood in the circle while the others shivered and steeled themselves from the pain.

"You know," she said, "this is too crowded."

PAM PAM! A double Mach Burst scattered the navis, but they returned to their feet, shaky, unsteady.

"Oh," said Imi. "You still want to play?"

**3**

"Netto!"

The boy sagged in Meiru's arms. Sweat ran down his cheeks and neck, and he gasped and coughed.

"Come on, Netto, hang in there!" She dragged him to his feet, but his legs wobbled and collapsed underneath. "Netto!"

'_This isn't working,'_ said Rockman. _'It's hurting both of us, Netto-kun!'_

Something wasn't working? Something was wrong?

"Netto? Can you hear me?"

He wiped his brow and sat up on the tile, but fog and haze blanketed the room. Meiru and Yaito waved their hands and called to him, but their cries were distant, inaudible.

_They're so far away…_

Even further was the battle before them. Imi tore through the Members' navis, wrecking each one that crossed her path, but the Sunbeam's flash was but a flicker out of sight. The rumble of Spike Towers was like thunder in the distance.

Tch-chew. Imi borrowed Searchman's Scope Gun, and the bolt grazed Rockman's leg, yet the wound only tickled Netto. He laughed, actually. He was glad. Imi couldn't touch him anymore. He was free.

'_You _must_ help me, Netto-kun! Help us; we're dying out here!'_

_Us? Them?_

All around, the team of navis fell back in awe of Imi's offensive. She sucked their powers clean, and her duplicates, thanks to Shadowman, provided distraction while she sliced and pummeled the opposition. Only Medi—poor, tired, overworked Medi—could keep her comrades from succumbing to the damage and logging out altogether. Even still, with Searchman's cover fire and Blues's swordsmanship, the stress began to take its toll. Over Tomahawkman's damaged frame, she collected healing energies once again, but they flickered and sparked; only at great cost to herself could she keep them all alive and ready to fight. With Medi rode all their hopes, and those hopes faded fast.

It didn't matter, though. None of it mattered. It was so far removed from Netto; it was a dream, a terrible dream. Why wouldn't this crazy dream just go away…

'_This isn't a dream; this is real! Netto-kun, I need you now!'_

_Need me…for what?_

'_I know you're in pain—we both are—but—'_

_I'm in pain?_

'_Yes, it hurts! Don't you feel it?'_

Netto pondered this question for a moment. True, he was aware of the pain, however faintly, but it was like an inflatable ball on an empty beach: small and insignificant. But, at his brother's behest, he focused on the ball, and it grew. It swelled and expanded and enveloped the beach, towered over the palm fronds and—

"Hyper Burst."

It popped.

"AHH!"

Rockman stumbled and fell face-down, and chunks of data floated away. Netto shared his pain, screamed to the heavens. The guttural cry rattled his throat, and his whole body shook with tension and terror.

"Netto!" Meiru grabbed his shoulders. "Netto, stay with me, okay?"

'_You know what we have to do, don't you? For both of us?'_

He knew. He knew all too well. This was the reason they'd trained, after all, though that plan had its successes and failures. They both agreed they couldn't handle that pain, not again. It haunted them like phantoms; it passed through the link to the other and multiplied, amplified, and such feedback they couldn't sustain, not without great cost to the mind…

"No, Netto, don't!"

He opened his eyes.

"Do you know what'll happen?" asked Meiru. "If you give yourself over to Rockman again…"

They both looked to the battle, where the Members' navis regrouped from her offensive.

"Just give it more time," she said. "You don't know what he'll do when he's in control, do you?"

'_That's not true, though.'_ His voice was weak and tired, and though Medi leaned over him and gave more of herself to keep him ticking, it did little to strengthen his thoughts._ 'You know me, don't you? Don't you, Netto-kun?'_

At that, Netto stood up, wobbly, shaky, but ready to enter the battle again, ready to operate.

To operate, yes, but to function?

—

"Rockman, this is bad!"

"It's not as bad as it looks…"

Not as bad as it looks? Really? Because it looked pretty bad. Imi clobbered their friends and allies, pushed them on their heels, and he said it wasn't as bad as it looked?

…as he himself bore the brunt of a Hyper Burst and relied on Medi, of all navis, to revive him again?

Roll stormed off the cliff, on the path to shore. "Masuyo-san!" She huffed. "Where could she have gone now? I know you can hear me!"

"Roll-chan, wait!"

Rockman jogged after her, but she marched on, ignoring his calls.

_That crazy girl; she left me here! She wanted me to do something, and now that I want to, she's nowhere to be found! I know you're watching, Masuyo-san! Come out and stop playing games!_

A blue arm halted her descent. "Please, Roll-chan, let's go back," said Rockman. "Or we could go to the springs! There are springs, you know, on the other side—"

She yanked her wrist free. "How can you think of these things? You're _dying_ out there. Imi-chan is killing them all—our friends!"

"You shouldn't worry too much," he assured her. "Just look what we have here."

What they had there. What did they have? An empty forest with bird songs but no birds. A rolling, sparkly ocean that was mere facade, nothing more. The water was far too clear, for Roll saw right through it: like the rainforest and the beach, no life lay beneath the surface. This paradise boasted objects and pretty sights, but where were the animals? Where were the people? What good was paradise without someone to share it with? And not just Rockman, but Meiru and Netto and their friends and their navi friends and their friends' navis. Maybe, some other time and place she could've spent eternity here with Rockman and not thought another second about it, but it wouldn't be real. It wasn't real.

Death was real. Death and dying were real, and that's all Roll saw. Shadowman's own sword sliced through his kneecap. Knightman's wrecking ball smashed Gryoman and Magnetman against the floor. Napalmman drowned in a torrent, a tidal wave. Blue data clouds formed a haze over the battlefield, but it hardly impeded Imi. It didn't even slow her down. Nor did it slow Blues, who rallied the navis behind him, for one last push.

"I feel sorry for them," said Rockman.

"Sorry?"

"They're stuck," he said. "They're locked in conflict with Imi-chan, but it's not enough."

"What do you mean 'it's not enough'? That's what we do; that's what you did."

"But it wasn't enough," he repeated. "You should know that: I tried to save you, but…I couldn't."

She looked away. _Does it all come back to me now?_

"It's not just you," he said. "I was supposed to be a brother to Netto-kun, but I couldn't be. I wasn't. I died. Then I was meant to help him, but I can't. I hurt him now. Every time I'm hit in battle, it pains him too. More than that, I _betrayed_ him! I ran away from him, and now…I don't know if I can go back."

"Rockman—"

"And you—you wanted me to love you, but I didn't understand." He crouched down and picked up the sand. "I still don't, do I? You don't look happy."

She sat on a rock. The strange mix of emotions confused her. On one hand, she liked that he was deliberate now and gave thought to things. It showed care and attention, things she felt he could lack in the old days. At the same time, he was running in circles, moping about, and that did not become him at all. She wanted to yell at him, but he was glass in her hand, like a little snow globe, and if she squeezed too hard, would he crack?

Perhaps that was the problem. What if, all this time, she'd poured her love into a snow globe? They're shiny, after all. Beautiful, even. They need not reflect reality at all. Could it be the object of her desires was little more than a fantasy of her own, no more real than this dream beach and the waves that crash on it?

Could she really…love him?

"Now you're ready."

Rockman and Roll sprang to attention, and the ghost of Nakamura Masuyo emerged from the verdant grove, her hair shining in the twilight.

"Ready for what?" asked Roll.

Masuyo looked to Rockman. "To save him, of course."

—

_You should know better, Masuyo-chan._

Imi scattered boulders across the battlefield, punctuating her point.

_I see what Rockman-san has become, don't you?_

Pink bolts from the Gyro Buster and yellow Vulcan rounds peppered her, but she shook off these trifles. There was but one target on Imi's mind—not Rockman, but the key, the lynchpin to this defense.

Medi.

'_Admit it, Imi, if there's another way to be free of his voice, you would take it.'_

Blues and the others realized her goal. Perhaps she telegraphed it—after all, how could they mistake a straight, locked-in march against the nurse navi? Imi scattered her enemies with a Mach Burst once more, but Shadowman and Needleman leapt into the fray.

_Of course I would. I'm not a monster. I don't like killing._

'_Except when it's right,'_ said Masuyo. _'Except when people don't understand you. Isn't that what you did to Roll? Isn't that how you justified it?'_

Imi copied both the ninja's swords and slashed at air, beating him back. She hurled Needleman into him for good measure; that would keep them both out of play, at least for a while.

Somewhere, amongst the impromptu barricades and damaged tiles, Rockman wandered, probably weak and sputtering from the mouth. Maybe that's where Medi fled—to heal him. Imi didn't know. Imi didn't want to know where he was. It was enough to look outside and catch sight of Netto's sweaty, trembling figure, with Meiru and Yaito lending their support.

_You could be right._

'_So you could stop this yourself. You don't need me. What am I but your conscience?'_

Imi smiled. It was nice to hear Masuyo's ghost trying again, even if it was short-lived. Oh, to invoke the memory of the real Masuyo, so long gone from this world now. She wouldn't be so angry with Imi. Well, maybe she would, but more than that, she would be sad. Imi knew this to be true. She would mourn her navi's misdeeds, grieve for their family, for the Nakamuras were no more. There was just Hideki, their father, and the wayward daughter.

And every shot she fired reinforced that notion. Like Rockman, these navis that opposed her earned her respect, and though, in her bouts of rage, she might wish death upon them, it didn't change the truth, either: they were stronger than her. They were stronger in every way that mattered. It was only a fluke of her programming that she could turn their weapons against them, but while she could imitate their techniques, their fortitude she could not steal. Yet if she couldn't rob them of their will to fight, she would have to break it. This too depressed her, for if she could really break them, it was little wonder she was broken herself.

So many times she'd considered hunting them down, stalking their operators and crushing their PETs underfoot. It would be easier. It would be efficient. She had no qualms killing the faceless, the innocent. Some might consider that an even greater crime, but not to her. She murdered Roll, and at the time, it was justified, but it was also heinous. She was doing just as much to Blues, Searchman, and the others, and Rockman…

…well, she killed him a long time ago, didn't she?

'_Think about it, Imi: if there's no redemption for Rockman, how can there be any for you?'_

At that, Imi halted, and a Chemical Flash exploded around her. She heeded not this damage or anything else the Members threw at her.

_What are you saying?_

'_Stop this! Surrender yourself and beg the forgiveness of these people you claim to respect and honor!'_

But Imi looked in their eyes, what eyes she could see, anyway. Long, hard gazes told her all: she might respect them, but they held no such feelings for her. If she surrendered, if they captured her, they wouldn't offer forgiveness, only justice and retribution.

_Even they aren't perfect. I'm destroying them again._

Thus, dispassionate and focused, Imi continued her hunt. Medi crawled from her, but Imi trapped her in a square of maze wall. Even still, the nurse navi pounded on her cage, yelling, screaming.

"I see why she hated you, Medi-san," said Imi. "You're so stubborn."

Medi clawed and kicked at the earthen walls. The other navis stepped to run interference, but Imi's dirt maze cages entrapped them all.

It was better this way. Now she wouldn't have to see their faces.

"Spike Tower."

The first spire impaled Medi's prison. The walls crumbled, and on the ground lay Medi, damaged, bleeding, unconscious. She plugged out immediately.

"And now, for the others."

One by one, the other cages erupted as Imi obliterated them, for they too understood the message. They plugged out in sequence.

And off in the distance, a blue navi clutched his shoulder and dragged the tip of a Wide Sword along the ground.

"This is the way it should be, don't you think?" said Imi. "Just you and me, Rockman-san, and no one else."

**4**

Yaito dabbed the boy's head with a damp cloth. "Netto, really now! This has gone way too far!"

But Netto, shaking and tense, popped chip after chip into his PET. Rockman shot wildly; his sword swipes were slow and feeble.

'_This isn't working, Netto-kun, you know that!'_

Netto grimaced. He slotted-in the Search Soul, but mutual fatigue made their aim waver. Imi walked forward as a hail of rifle shots buzzed by.

"You're tired, aren't you?" asked Imi.

Rockman panted. His vision blurred, and the targeting crosshairs bobbed and darted. "I won't…give up…"

"I wish you hadn't touched me, you know!" she said. "I wish I…didn't have to kill…" She trailed off, as if an unheard voice called to her. "I don't like doing these things! I don't like hurting people; I just wanted my papa."

"But you _did_ hurt people! You hurt Roll-chan; she didn't deserve it!"

Imi frowned. "Stubborn. So stubborn, Rockman-san, always, but you can't fool me. I know you now. I know you better than anyone else, now that you've touched me. Do you really want this to go on? That's what keeps happening, you know: we fight. Over and over, and it's terrible. It doesn't do either of us good. It keeps me from Papa, and it keeps you from moving on."

"I'm not like you!"

"You _are_, though! Think about it: what happens if you kill me? If you know Roll-san is gone for good, what then? Netto-san can't bring himself to hate you, even though he wants to. You could try to be Net Saviors again, but would you have the heart for it? Or maybe you could be human and leave this world, leave cyberspace behind. You've already thought of these things, and you know they're pointless. You have no future, Rockman-san, just like I had none when Papa abandoned me."

And there it was—the hint of doubt. Doubt like venom, for either could paralyze and hinder. They both heard the words, but what each took from those words was different. Netto heard the truth: he knew his brother's pain more acutely than his own, yet more acutely than pain, the fatigue weighed on them. In surrender, there was the promise of release, and oh, what they wouldn't give to free themselves of this madness.

Even still, though Netto heard the truth, he had a duty to his brother. _Don't listen to her, nii-san. You don't have to listen._

'_It's me or her; you know that, but still you're holding back from me.'_

_Don't make me choose between you and me. I don't like it._

'_You always have a choice, Netto-kun. I may be your brother—a _bad_ brother, too—but I can't take that away from you.'_

_Nii-san—_

"What do you want me to do?" said Rockman.

"Just hold my hand," said Imi. "I think we both need someone to look to…for forgiveness."

—

"I don't believe this." Roll stomped over the beach. "I don't believe this! Why are you just standing there?"

"It's not me," said Rockman.

"I know that!" She paced. She pulled on her hair—if only she could yank it out! "Why don't you do something?"

"Because she's right. I don't want any of those things; if I can't be here, with you…"

She shook her head. "No! There's more to life than that! There's more to living than me!"

"Roll, let it go," said Masuyo. "Focus."

"Be quiet!" she snapped back.

"How can I make it up to you?" asked Rockman. "If not this, then…?"

Roll stared. _It's the same thing all over again! Did he make this because he loves me or because he feels guilty—guilty that I died?_

And yet, the anger she expected, the heartbreak as her dream world hollowed and darkened—none of it touched her. To her surprise, she understood. Not so deeply as to entertain Rockman's arguments, his dim view of the work they'd done as Net Saviors and, later, Cross Fusion Members. Nay, these things she cherished, for they reflected well on him. She bathed in his courage, relished his heroism. Perhaps she loved those qualities and only loved him as a convenient, likable shell. She couldn't know the truth now, for the navi she saw before her she didn't love anymore.

She pitied him.

"Your pity isn't enough," said Masuyo, waltzing to the foreground. "Imi is about to kill him—the real one, not this shadow that haunts her mind!"

Roll glared at her. "You! All this time, you order me around, and yet you do nothing yourself! I've had enough of you! Why do you bother me? What do you want now?"

"Imi will look to Rockman for that flicker of redemption she thinks she deserves," said Masuyo. "If she doesn't find it, she will not only kill him but lose any sense of restraint she has left. There's one way to make her break this off, though, one way to keep her from killing Rockman."

"How?"

Masuyo looked to the ghost, the shade of Rockman beside Roll. "He has to go away."

"Go away?" said Rockman. "No! I want to be here, with Roll-chan!"

"But she doesn't want to be here with you!" said Masuyo. "She doesn't like it here, do you Roll?"

The last sliver of sun sank below the horizon. There was a brief green flash over the sea, and then only residual light—the reflections off clouds—illuminated the shore. Soon, murky night would envelop this place and make it all shadows.

_Like the choir. That's what Masuyo-san means. We have to send him…no, we have to _banish_ him to the choir, make him stay there like I stayed, all those weeks when nobody knew what happened to him, where he and Netto-san had gone. But how can I persuade him to go if all he wants is to stand by me?_

"You don't make her happy," said Masuyo. "You only remind her of the person you used to be. You're a ghost! A figment, like me, and any pleasure you feel here isn't real—it's a lie!"

"Stop it!" said Rockman. "It's not true! Tell her, Roll-chan!"

"What's this supposed to do, Masuyo-san?" said Roll. "You're making him upset!"

"You see?" said Masuyo. "She can't say she's happy here. Why? Because she isn't! This place is a prison for her, and you are her captor!"

Rockman clutched Roll's wrist. "Tell her, Roll-chan, please! Tell her you like it here, or if you don't then someplace else!" He glared at Masuyo. "Someplace we can be together without your interference!"

But Roll shook her head. This whole dilemma made no sense at all! Masuyo was just egging him on, and Rockman would naturally defend himself. How could this convince him to go to the choir? If he wouldn't go there on his own accord…

She tugged her arm. "Why _won't_ you go?" she asked him. "Save your other self!"

"You—you want me to leave you here? Alone?"

At that, Roll caught sight of Masuyo, whose hard, knowing stare perturbed her almost as much as Rockman did. With both of them looking to her, it was like a white hot spotlight that bore down on her. For whatever reason, she was the center; she was…

_Oh no._

She backpedaled, reaching, waving blindly for something to rest on. She settled for a rough rock and eased herself down.

"Roll-chan, what's wrong?"

_No, no! I can't; I won't!_

"But you must," said Masuyo. "Cast Rockman to the choir; reject him like he rejected you!"

And then Rockman knew what Roll already figured out. Desperation washed over his face, and he held her hand, imploring her to do…something.

In truth, she filtered out the words. The look on his face was enough to haunt her, to stir nightmares—nightmares she'd had herself. The wide eyes and scrunched brow, the tight grip of his fingers and the shaking, trembling…these were all things she'd done herself, weren't they? When he ran away from her, when she declared her love, she couldn't hold back the fear, the anxiety.

The dread.

And now the situation was cruelly reversed. Now she had to shatter him, and more than that, she had to make it hurt. Only if he never forgot would he remain with the choir. Imi approached Rockman, and each passing second could cost his life, yet the pain of rejection, however unintentional, was like a hard stone in her chest. How could she dredge up those emotions again? How could she force them upon him, even if he wasn't "real"? She wasn't real, either. Indeed, that only made it worse. It made her inconsequential. It made her helpless.

"I can't," she whispered. "I'm sorry; I just can't."

—

"I can't."

Rockman stepped back, away from Imi's outstretched hand.

"Rockman-san?"

"I should never forgive you for what you did to Roll-chan," he said. "No matter how tired I am, no matter the cost! You're an abomination, Imi-chan! You tarnish her memory; you didn't _deserve_ to know her! You didn't deserve her friendship when you had it."

"And do you now?" asked Imi. "Do you think you deserve her now?"

He bowed his head. "I'm sure I don't."

"We can still help each other find peace."

"No."

Imi shuddered. "I made you into this, didn't I?"

"Imi-chan?"

"You were a good person! I hoped you could stop me, but instead, I did more damage to you, and if you can't forgive me, if Papa can't forgive me…"

She wielded the Paladin Sword, and though Rockman raised his blade in defense, she batted it away.

"…then no one will."

Shink. The blade plunged into Rockman's gut, and he fell to his knees.

"I'm sorry, Rockman-san," Imi whispered. "I'm so sorry."

**5**

Meiru and Yaito stared in shock.

"It can't be…"

"Rockman!"

But Netto gazed dully. He watched the wall, for it was still and white and unmoving. It was still; it could keep him anchored as the world swirled around him.

_Nii-san…_

Rockman sagged, and the tip of the sword poked through his back. _'Maybe it's better this way…'_

_No!_

'_Maybe it should've always been this way…'_

Netto shook his head—slowly at first, but gradually with more force and intensity. _No! I won't lose you again!_

'_Imi-chan was right, though. I can't ask anything more of you, Netto-kun. I don't have the right.'_

The tears dripped on Netto's sleeve, and he made no move to deter them.

_You don't have to ask, not anymore._

"Netto?"

He handed Meiru the PET case, zipped up his vest, straightened his cuffs.

"Wait, what are you doing? What are you going to—"

He rested his hands on her shoulders, looked her dead in the eyes. "I'm sorry, Meiru," he said. "I know what you asked me. I still don't have an answer. I just need you to trust me this time."

"Netto?"

A black shadow enveloped the hotel. It swallowed the revolving door, the elevators, the lounge. The TV screens where Rockman fell faded into the void, and only Meiru's panic shot through the emptiness.

"Netto?" She shook him. "No, no, no—don't do this! Don't do this, Netto!"

And, after a fashion, she too died away. Hikari Netto fainted in Meiru's arms, peaceful and quiet, and as Meiru and Yaito slapped his cheeks to revive him, his elder brother found a thread of life, a new, revitalizing energy.

"Thank you, Netto-kun," he said. "Thank you…"

His dark blue armor lightened and paled. He stood tall, against Imi's blade, and split the sword with his bare hands.

"What is this?" Imi gasped. "What have you done, Rockman-san?"

"This," he said, yanking the tip from his chest, "is for Roll-chan!" He thrust the fragment and stabbed her side, but Imi retaliated, jutting the broken sword in him again, and for a few moments, they glared at each other, their data evaporating before them.

"So, Rockman-san," Imi grunted, "what now?"

"Now," he said, breaking the grapple, "we finish it!"

—

Back and forth they battled: Imi, with her arsenal of a thousand navis, against Rockman's simple buster. Little else could he wield without Netto at the helm of their PET, but it was enough. Even ordinary buster bolts shredded Imi's data, and her efforts to absorb the damage and heal with their energy lashed back at her. Nonetheless, she persevered. _They_ persevered. She slashed him with Gregia's claws and rammed with Falzer's speed, but he arrested her momentum with a single grab, punched through her body like it was a sack of feathers.

Even still, the battle carried on, but it was not without witnesses. In the lobby, Meiru and Yaito slapped Netto's cheeks, yet the boy wouldn't stir, and in Imi's mind, her choir roared its approval, but not every soul was entertained.

"Well," said Masuyo, "if this stops Imi, so be it." With that, she vanished from the fantasy world of Rockman and Roll, leaving only them behind.

And, truly, Rockman was relieved. Modestly so, perhaps, for he could only ask Roll to spend their last moments happy and together. A simple request, yet Roll could not abide him. Visions of the outside haunted her.

"Take this! Charge Shot!"

BOOM! Imi skirted the blast, but the explosion fed on itself and pulsed outward, as if some outside force sustained it.

"You hate her, don't you?" asked Roll.

"Shouldn't I?"

Whether it was hate or the sheer power of the Saito Style, an attack that never even grazed Imi toppled her and sent her spinning. She scurried from the impact and fled, just as more buster bolts filled the space where she'd been.

"I don't like it," said Roll. "It's not you."

"But he's—_I'm_—doing this for you."

And that's what frightened her. Even outside, Rockman wore that determination on his face. Were his gaze a weapon, it would've deleted Imi a thousand times over. And to think just moments ago, he'd stood on the brink—not of defeat, but of surrender itself. Now, when the tide turned, he rode the tsunami home.

"That's not like you, either. No matter how hurt you got, you never gave up, not before."

"You know it's been hard—"

"And you never complained," said Roll.

"What are you saying?"

What was she saying? What more needed to be said that Meiru's distraught, frantic cries over Netto didn't say? The boy was putty in her arms, and she yelled, shouted, screamed for him to come back to her. She begged him.

She sobbed.

"But she's not begging Netto-san, is she?" asked Roll. "She's begging _you_ to give him back."

"This has to be done," said Rockman, "for all our sakes."

"Since I've been here, that's all I've heard. You _have_ to do this; you _must_ do that." Roll shook her head, and the last glimmer of sunset extinguished itself. Stars twinkled in their lonely homes in the night sky, and the half moon loomed overhead, casting its light on the breaking waves.

"Masuyo-san was right, though. You aren't the same."

"Roll-chan—"

"I don't love you, not anymore."

He babbled. "But, but—"

"Roll, what are you doing?" Masuyo stood beside her again, this time questioning. "The deed is done; Rockman will destroy Imi, and all will be well again."

"But it won't," said Roll. "Rockman isn't just destroying Imi-chan. Look at Netto-san; look at Meiru-chan. Look at all the others—some of them my friends, others I don't know so well—they came to his defense, but look what he's done with it! Look how it's tearing us apart!"

Rockman and Masuyo met her gaze, for her sharp green eyes pierced the darkness.

"But Roll-chan, I can explain!"

And that gaze cut him down. "Can you? Can you really?"

His eyes drifted off her, and the forest murmured, low and ominous.

_It's not the animals, though. It's Imi-chan's choir. They're coming for him._

"Don't listen to her!" said Masuyo, rushing to Rockman's aid. "She's only doing this because she loves you, you know! She can't bear to see you do the things you do!" Masuyo glanced back at her. "She's afraid if you kill Imi, you'll really be gone."

The truth swelled and bulged like a lump in Roll's chest, but she refused to let it choke her, not now. She could choke back the tears, though. Whatever emotions she felt—love or pity, hate or guilt—they didn't matter. All she had to do was hold out, and it would all feel better later, so she told herself, so she hoped.

"Masuyo-san…" she began, but the lump tensed her throat. She persisted. "Masuyo-san is right. I _am_ afraid. I'm afraid of _you_, Rockman. I don't know you, and maybe, in trying to make you love me, I made you something you weren't before. I don't know; I just…"

He watched her, transfixed, and not a twitch stirred him.

"I don't want you here," she mumbled.

"What?"

"I said, 'I don't want you here' and I don't!" she snapped. "You can't make me happy with this…this…" She yanked a handful of sand and scattered it across the beach. "This lie! That's what this is—a lie! You're a lie, and what's worse is, though you can't make me happy, you can still make it hurt! When I see what you've done to Netto-san and how it hurts Meiru-chan, I feel it! I feel it more than anything Imi-chan ever did! You're worse than her! You call her a monster, but it's wrong! She can pretend to have an excuse—that she was just a little girl and everything inside her broke when her papa sent her away—but what excuse do you have, Rockman? What is it?"

She looked to his eyes, for in the eyes, there is truth, but they only quivered and blurred with tears. The lack of answer in his gaze blinded her at first. In truth, the rest of him was gone already. Like when Imi had taken her, the stray claws and flesh-rending hooks ripped the image, the ghost of Rockman apart, and engulfed him in eternal shadow, so easy to miss in the darkness, the nighttime of paradise.

'_I love you, Roll-chan,'_ came the disembodied voice. _'I'll love you even when you don't love me, when I don't deserve any of it. I'm sorry! Can't you forgive me? I love—'_

And his eyes faded. The choir swallowed him whole.

_No, Rockman…_ At last, Roll allowed herself the quiet comfort of a tear. _I'm the one who should be sorry. If there's some way I can help you, some way I can make it right, I will! After all the times you saved my life…_

They comfort of a tear was one thing, but now they gushed freely and without her consent.

…_I'm just sorry this was all I could do today—save your body—because it's not enough, is it?_

Masuyo closed her eyes, and the paradise, Roll's island fantasy, crumbled around them. The sandy beach gave way to stiff wood floors, and the forest that encircled them formed a ring of benches, the seats of the soul choir. And at the center of it all, Imi waited in her spotlight, neither happy nor sad to see Roll again, merely pensive, perhaps as locked in thought as Roll was.

_No,_ Roll stated flatly. _It's not enough._

—

"Rockman-san."

Call it a moment of weakness, but as Rockman shot, Imi stole away and followed behind him. She clenched his wrist and held him there, and for a moment, the pair eyed one another. They shared their memories in a millisecond.

"Roll-chan…"

"She's saved you today," said Imi. "Part of you, anyway."

She limped away, cradling her gut. Rockman made no move to cover his wounds, though bright blue data seeped away from him.

'_What's your excuse, Rockman? What is it?'_

Did he have one at all? Was there any reason, any justification—

Imi opened a Rush Hole, and her silken white boots disappeared within.

"Wait, Imi-chan!"

She stopped.

"What am I now?" he asked. "What is there left for me?"

"I don't know," she said. "I don't know for either of us."

At that, she disappeared, leaving Rockman alone to ponder the question.

_What am I?_


	20. Savage Memory

The end is near, folks. Only three more chapters ("Sons," "Resurrection and Life," and "The Prodigal Daughter") and an epilogue to go. For now, some downtime and build up to come off of "Reunion."

**Chapter 17**

**Savage Memory**

"What am I now? What is there left for me?"

For a moment, Imi and Rockman exchanged uncertain glances.

"I don't know. I don't know for either of us."

At that, Imi jumped down the Rush Hole, and shortly after, Rockman disappeared as well.

And the image blanked to static.

"All right," said Enzan, "this plane is now cut off from the net. Now that the situation is over, I suggest everyone get some sleep. We still have a long way to go."

Thus, the Cross Fusion Members slumped in their seats, and assorted sighs—some of relief, others simple fatigue—peppered the silence, even over the engines' dull roar. Dingo and Charlie stretched their legs. Tesla yawned, and Pride lay back in the seat next to Laika; her eyes fluttered shut. And, for her part, Jasmine tapped on the sunshade and peeked under it, trying for a glimpse of cloud or sun.

"I'm sorry." Enzan passed along the aisle and pressed the shade shut. "No one can look outside and know where we're going. You understand?"

She met his gaze but said nothing.

"Jasmine?" Medi sat up, but shooting pain pulsed through her arm.

"Go back to sleep," said Jasmine. "You need to repair."

So she did. Medi floated in the repair interface, and the concentric rings rebuilt her data bit by bit. It was a soothing, comforting sensation, and though Imi had escaped, it was all the more assuring to think that Rockman was safe, too, that he—

"Medi…"

That he was there, in her PET, stumbling and staggering and cradling his wounds?

"Rockman!" Medi broke from the rings and ran to his side.

"Wait!" said Jasmine. "What if…what if he's Echo?"

He tripped and flopped to the ground, but his hand caught Medi's wrist. "Do you hear anything?"

She shook her head.

"So you see, I'm not Imi-chan," he told them. "I'm not her; I couldn't be…"

"Rockman, you're terribly hurt!" said Medi. "You need something more than this, something—"

"Please, Medi. I…" He winced, staring at the ceiling. "I have nowhere else to go."

"But what about Netto?" asked Jasmine. "What's happened to him?"

"Netto-kun…is sleeping."

**1**

"Netto? Netto!"

Meiru shook and prodded the boy, but he lay silent on the tile.

"Meiru-chan—"

"Come on, Netto, this isn't a time for games!"

The air whistled through his nostrils; that and the rise and fall of his chest at least told her he was alive, yet for someone technically living, what could be more lifeless than a still body? Even when he slept, Netto sprawled and turned over—at least, he usually did. Meiru thought these nocturnal motions a sign of his energy, but if that were so, then this perverse stillness could only mean…

Splash! Water drenched the boy's face, and Yaito towered over his body, a paper cup in hand. "Anything?" she said.

Meiru dabbed droplets from his eyebrows. "Nothing."

"Okay, Glyde?"

"Paramedics are on the way, Yaito-sama."

"Good." She looked around. "There's got to be something around here," she said. "Pepper, smelling salt, first-aid kit—"

"You're going to look?" asked Meiru.

"Yeah, I'll be right back, all right?"

Meiru nodded, and Yaito disappeared around the bend. Sometime or other, Meiru thought she heard an elevator ding, but she wasn't quite sure.

The truth of the matter was she didn't care. A herd of elephants could trample this room for all she cared, so long as Netto was safe. Whether he was safe like this, unconscious on the lobby floor…that was an open question.

"It's all because you gave yourself for him, isn't it?" asked Meiru, brushing wet hairs from his forehead. "You're always doing that, giving more than you really have."

Netto took this criticism in silence.

"I'm not angry. You chose what was best for Rockman; I understand."

After all, why should she be angry? It's not like she asked him to hold back. It's not like her request drew out an arduous battle and put the other Members' navis at risk. It's not like Imi almost deleted them or stabbed Rockman, which would've compelled Netto to let Rockman unleash their combined potential under the most debilitating circumstances. It's not like any of those things happened.

"And you held out for so long because of me, didn't you?" she asked him. "Right, Netto?"

Again, the boy was silent. Maybe he wouldn't speak because she'd begged him so. Even as Rockman lay dying, she didn't want it to happen, but he slipped away, right before her eyes. On balance, it was selfish of her, and for that, Meiru wept over Netto's sleeping form, but it was selfish of Rockman, too, wasn't it? To put Netto through all the suffering, the wicked jolts of every blow?

She wanted to think so. She dug deep, searched her own feelings, scoured them for some speck of anger, glimmer of hate, but she found only a tingle instead. Her skin crawled with this sensation, yet it dulled all other feelings. Greif and rage both deserted her; in the end, she felt…numb.

"Meiru-san."

Numb, too, toward Imi, who encroached on their moment, hers and Netto's. In this case, however, Meiru was all too happy not to hate Imi. She didn't need to, and to hate and revile the navi would only rile her up for no good reason at all. It was much more fitting, more appropriate, to let that hate recede and replace it with something worse:

Apathy.

"What do you want?" asked Meiru.

"My papa—where is he?"

"Enzan and the others took him somewhere. I don't know where."

"Are you sure?"

Meiru held her hand over her shoulder. "You want to find out yourself?"

Imi shook her head, instead peering over Netto and his PET. "Rockman-san isn't here?"

"Not here?" Meiru squinted at the blank screen; sure enough, there was no sign of him. Even as his brother lay sleeping, maybe _dying_ for all Meiru knew, Rockman dared not return to him.

_I wonder what that says about Rockman now…_

Imi grunted. Though her body showed no obvious injuries, Imi brushed her blouse, and stray, decayed data flew away like dust and stuck to her fingertips. She rose from the body and went on her way. "Tell Netto-san I'm sorry for him, will you?" she said. "I know he doesn't need me to tell him, either, but…Rockman-san is sorry too. Or he will be. I'm not sure yet."

Meiru paid her no heed. Imi could disappear for all she cared. Rockman too. Let them all go away, so she and Netto could hold hands like they did on the balcony, lock their fingers together. That meant something; it had significance neither could deny. She was there for him, for he needed her, and she would be there ever more. Even as men in white walked up to them, pressed their fingers to Netto's neck, and loaded him on a stretcher, she held his hand and wouldn't let go.

—

Upstairs, Hikari Yuuichirou toiled, oblivious to the scene that had unfolded below. Not to say he was unaware of the battle—nay, he knew it was coming. When Enzan and the rest of the Members took off with Nakamura, Netto took his friends down to the streets to look for Rockman. Yuuichirou knew he would be of little help to either group, however: Imi was Nakamura's creation, and as such, he was in the best position to deal with her. As for Rockman, Yuuichirou sought a solution more permanent than merely tracking him down.

It wasn't easy. When word of the fight reached him, Yuuichirou tapped into the monitor feed, watched the battle from the corner of his eye while typing and rearranging code. No doubt this mad encounter stemmed from Netto and Rockman's link. Stuck together, neither could be expected to think straight, and with shared pain, Netto felt every blow Imi landed, as if he were Rockman himself. Separation was the only solution.

And yet it eluded him. Perhaps it was unwise—foolish, even—to let the battle distract him. He could make no real headway like this, not with both his sons in danger. Instead, he put away his work. For too long he'd neglected his boys, lost touch with their new selves, their souls. Maybe the rush of combat would tell him who they'd become.

But the sights wounded his pride. Imi beat and sliced at Rockman until Netto intervened, and when Enzan and the others stepped in, Imi quickly turned the tables and sent them all home, injured, damaged. Where was Rockman then? Limping off to nurse his wounds, perhaps, but who could say?

Then Imi offered him a choice: take redemption or seek revenge. Though forgiveness tempted Rockman, he rejected it; he chose to fight. Yuuichirou knew not what to make of this, whether to admire his son's bravery or condemn his resentment. Either way, his reaction mattered not, for once Rockman dismissed Imi's proposal, she drove her sword through his gut.

Many times Netto and Yuuichirou thought Rockman deleted or damaged beyond repair. At the first N1 Grand Prix, Pharoahman interrupted the climactic showdown between Blues and Rockman, then staunch rivals, not friends. The rogue navi tried to strike Blues down, but Rockman shoved him from the beam, bore the impact himself, and dissipated before Netto's own eyes. And again, later, when Misaki and Prisman attacked Netto, leaving both their PETs in shambles—both father and son feared Rockman would be lost to them. Each time Rockman lay close to death, Yuuichirou shut his eyes and thought back. The pale walls and bright lights of a hospital blinded him. Inert, artificial odors tickled his nose. Beneath a glass cage, all alone, baby Hikari Saito gasped for air. His heart beat erratically, and the monitors reflected this frantic pulse with their own irregular beeps, yet neither Yuuichirou nor his wife and younger son could do anything for Saito. They stood by as the beeping sped up, flickered…

…and stopped.

Sometimes, Yuuichirou wondered if Rockman might somehow remember that moment. It was beyond the impossible, of course, for he'd mapped the boy's brainwaves, extracted his memories long before that moment, yet still…he wondered.

He didn't wonder for long. As was wont to happen, Rockman emerged from the maw of death, powered up in his sky blue armor. The sight transfixed Yuuichirou, for a thousand questions popped into his mind. What of Netto? If their souls were fused like this, what was happening to his other son? And even with this power, could Rockman defeat Imi for good?

More than that, should he? Like Roll, Yuuichirou witnessed Rockman's brutality. Granted, Netto and Rockman were seldom known for their finesse in battle tactics, but without Netto's array of chips, Rockman wielded only his hands and feet and buster. These weapons cast a troubling pall on the battle, for every punch resounded and reverberated through the speakers, and his kicks echoed along Imi's shedding data. Thus, when Imi abruptly left, Yuuichirou breathed easier, save for Rockman's final questions.

"_What am I now? What is there left for me?"_

Not even his father had a good answer.

"Hikari-hakase!"

Yuuichirou poked his head out of the broken training room. "Yaito-chan?"

Yaito scoured the cupboards for pepper. "Come quick! Netto won't wake up!"

—

Yaito and Yuuichirou stepped from the ground floor elevator, but Meiru was already walking Netto to the ambulance.

"Meiru-chan, wait for us!" Yaito dashed for the revolving doors, pulling up beside her. Yuuichirou stayed back, however, for he spotted something on the ground: blue and white with a red button on the face. The background melted and shifted, but the green screen was largely constant.

"He didn't come back," Meiru explained.

Yuuichirou tucked the PET in his coat pocket and hopped in the ambulance with Meiru and Yaito. For the first time, he pondered whether he could save both his boys. Should he have to choose, could he? How dare he consider forsaking one of his boys for the life of the other!

And yet, Netto's shallow breaths spoke volumes in his silence. Perhaps he, Yuuichirou, wasn't the one doing the forsaking. What of Rockman? Where was he? Surely he knew Netto was sleeping. That he left anyway for the hidden corners of the net spoke only of indifference, or…

Yuuichirou gulped. _Or guilt._

The ambulance doors closed, but the shadow of a conical hat caught Yuuichirou's eye. Whether it was real or his own hallucination he couldn't say, for the ride to the hospital was uneventful.

**2**

The flight took many hours. About twelve, if Hideki remembered their time of boarding right.

"Twelve hours, seventeen minutes, twenty-two—"

"Thank you, Codey."

"Yes, Papa."

Twelve hours, roughly one thousand kilometers per hour, give or take. Hideki hadn't noticed any undue turns to indicate Enzan was flying them in circles; at any rate, this napkin math would give him a worst estimate. They could be across the ocean, in Netopia, or if they went the other way, deep in the frozen wastes of Sharo. They could even be in Japan again; how would that be for safety?

"Like a piece of cheese in a pile of rats," said Dingo.

Still, Hideki amused himself with this thought puzzle, for it took his mind off Imi—her fight against Rockman and the other navis and how he, Hideki, could possible disable her.

"Do you think you can really help onee-san?" asked Codey.

That was the billion-zenny question. Like the others, even after they plugged out their navis, Hideki watched the battle's end.

"_You were a good person!" Imi told Rockman. "I hoped you could stop me, but instead, I did more damage to you, and if you can't forgive me, if Papa can't forgive me…"_

What did he have to forgive her for? Her insanity, her deeds?

"_It's all right, Papa. I'll always be with you. I'll always smile."_

Or that? Do true monsters ask forgiveness for sins they didn't know they committed?

The others sure thought so. As the hours passed fitfully, they cursed Imi's name, grieved for their navis' damaged frames. Laika and Yuriko came to Hideki, asking if he could check for memory loss, but they both passed muster. If the others suspected the same, they didn't request his help—some, like Tesla and Miyabi, might've resented him for creating Imi. Their glares were sharp, but they wouldn't elaborate.

And that was fine with Hideki. They were the ones who pressured him to come. Enzan had all but threatened to hand him over to Imi, and gods only knew what she might do to him.

…what _would_ she do to him?

"She touched Corporal Calloway," said Enzan. "I'm pretty sure if it'd been you instead…"

She'd have shown him her nightmares, forced upon him the memories of ghastly murder and torture. What else would befit a father who abandons his child? His child's _navi_, rather. Surely that was her goal: to make him see suffering that matched her own, so he would regret having made her just moments before she butchered him on her sword.

"I don't think so, Papa," said Codey. "Onee-san wants to be well, I think."

"Then why should she touch me?" asked Hideki.

"We were mean to her when she had that girl in the hotel, and maybe she deserved it, but I think, if it'd been me instead, I'd wonder if you'd ever accept me again."

Accept her? Really? After all she'd done? "You can't be serious, Codey! You haven't killed anyone. It's not the same."

"No, Papa. I just do what you tell me to do. I break into networks; I steal things, copy things, delete things. Onee-san copies things. Sometimes she deletes things, too."

Hideki jerked in his seat. "Codey."

"Yes, Papa?"

"Don't say anything like that ever again."

"I'm sorry, Papa."

Perhaps, wherever she was, Imi was sorry, too.

Whatever the reasons for their predicament, Hideki paged through the code Enzan provided him. It was the last, incomplete snapshot of Imi's file from the Ministry of Science in Japan, when they'd captured her in a Deconstruction Device. At first, Hideki wanted to dismiss it outright, for the lines were fragmented, incomplete: he had a block here and a block there, but two blocks makes not a skyscraper, and several unconnected blocks…well, they were less than a program. They may as well have been gibberish.

Then, in the corner of the mind, the fear took hold: what if he _wrote_ her this way? He dug through the laptop's files, and all the old memories resurfaced. Long hours of working at the dinner table—his preferred workspace—while Masuyo slept above him. It was there, at that table, that Hideki pounded out Imi's code, character by character. He tweaked her appearance, shrunk her to size. Even before he patterned her voice, he heard her cheery giggles. He spent a night and a half trimming the stray frequencies until she sounded just as he imagined, like he wanted for Masuyo and…

Well, the truth was that Masuyo'd always been a bit muted for a girl of her age. She was shy and contemplative, not unlike her mother, Chouko, yet she'd never known her, not really. They were together in this world for so short a time, after all. Still, Masuyo inherited her mother's curse of isolation, whether by her choice to draw the world around her or by the psychological toll of her condition Hideki couldn't say. Either way, he felt she needed a foil, someone to bring out and give expression to the desires she suppressed. Codey wouldn't do—he was too submissive and introverted, even if those traits were mere fabrications of Hideki's mind and had no basis in reality. How could they if he'd yet to write the programming to say that?

At any rate, these programs of his—creations, if you wanted to call them that—had their own drives and tendencies. He couldn't give those traits to them; he could only flesh them out, chisel their forms and mold their details. He could no more create them than a sculptor created the marble from which he worked. The marble was already there, and so was the masterpiece.

Or masterpieces. Chouko, had wanted a big family before Masuyo's birth cost her life, and perhaps designing dozens of custom navis, each with their own unique persona, was the outlet Hideki needed to fulfill his wife's wishes. Gods only knew it drew him no accolades in the research community. "Navis are all well and good, but there's nothing serious left to do with them," said one of his colleagues. "You're wasting your time on something a third-grader could do."

As much as he thought of Masuyo, Hideki doubted she could design a navi as well as he.

Hyperbole aside, Hideki set out to prove the errors of that statement. A better navi, a smarter navi, one who could adapt to her environment—not just the environment but the people in it—would revolutionize not just the field of artificial intelligence but the way the world worked. Modern AI had reached a roughly human level of comprehension, and because of that, people were satisfied that all had been done. How foolish this was. If all they wanted was human-level thought processes, they could hire someone for the fraction of the cost of a custom navi and PET. It was moronic at best.

No, he could do better. He, Nakamura Hideki, could make a navi that would change the face of navi research everywhere, that would embody the dreams of his late wife and open his only daughter to the pleasures and joys of the world…while she still had a chance to relish them. So many hopes he rested upon Imi, on her innocence and novelty, on her passion for life and experiences that he wanted to rub off on Masuyo.

And what was she now? Her code lay in fragments. Her innocence cruelly twisted against her. Her novelty she abused, and her passion for life made her cling to it like a mosquito to cow hide. How could they expect him to revisit those nights of aching fingers and sweaty brows? What could he do right that he'd mucked up the last time?

What hopes were left to salvage that Imi hadn't already shredded or crushed between her fingers?

Thus, Hideki closed his laptop and withdrew a pencil and sheet of paper. Twelve hours of flight, one thousand kilometers per hour—anywhere was better than the past. Any place was better than going back to his old home of oak and birch, to visit the ghost of Masuyo…

…and his dreams for Imi.

—

But Hideki wasn't the only one with dreams on this plane.

"Rockman, please! Don't try to move!"

The blue navi quietly obeyed her, allowing the repair rings to do their work. It was slow, arduous work, for Medi and Rockman shared the PET's resources, cutting the available repair capacity in half. Thus, they took turns, but Medi allowed him longer than her. Imi's Spike Tower had pierced her side, sure, but Rockman bore a nasty chest wound. She would be back in fighting shape faster than he, so this would merely even that out—at least, as far as their bodies were concerned.

Their minds were another matter, however. As Rockman recovered, he mumbled. It wasn't sleeptalking per se, for he stared Medi square in the eyes as he spoke those words, even though his eyelids drooped and wavered.

"I let you down, too, didn't I, Medi?"

Poor Rockman, for him to think such things! He could never let her down. Disappoint her, yes, but truly let her down? Never. Not since he put himself in the path of dozens of viruses to protect her could he let her down. He was her protector when she needed him, and she did a much better job of showing her gratitude and holding her own than that selfish, clingy Roll ever did.

Didn't she? Medi saw how Roll was. She was clumsy, awkward. A capable fighter, yes, but also prone to distraction and indecision. In all respects, Medi was better, wasn't she? At least as cute, a more potent healer, and not prone to fits of emotion. How could he choose Roll over Medi, truly? There was no good explanation for it.

Well, maybe not good _explanations_, but _reasons_? These Medi could acknowledge. He and Roll lived closer, saw each other on a daily basis no doubt, whereas he and Medi, no matter how close they might be, would still have a sea between them, the gap between Japan and Choina. The net could shorten this distance, yes, but not erase it altogether, and Jasmine loved her home country too much for Medi to seriously ask her to leave it. Perhaps that was the ultimate strike against her, the hurdle insurmountable.

"I was blind to you," he said, "just like I was blind to Roll-chan."

Was that part of his appeal? That he was ignorant of their affections yet still cared to be with them? Yes, yes, it all made sense to Medi now. His fragile innocence put him above them both, on a pedestal.

And now that pedestal crumbled.

"We should tell someone, Medi," said Jasmine. "Rockman can't stay here; look at him."

But where would he go? Enzan, surely, wouldn't want the jammer turned off even for a second. It was, in his own words, "a great enough risk just to protect Rockman from Echo."

And then there were the others. Not everyone would forgive Rockman his transgressions. Searchman vowed to bring him to justice if he could. Magnetman outright resented him (though that was nothing new, either). A pragmatist, like Shadowman, might be content to lock Rockman away until the time was right, but still, they would torture a man who already tortured himself, justly or no, and let no one mistake it: he did torture himself, or his own fears did it for him.

"It's nice when Netto-kun is sleeping," he said. "It means I can think for myself, but now, sometimes, I get carried away. I worry. I asked Imi-chan, and she didn't know either. What am I now, Medi?"

"You're Rockman," she said. "That's who you are."

"But that's not what I am. I've betrayed everyone. I hurt Glyde; I put all of you at risk. Netto-kun is alive, but he still won't wake up, no matter how I call to him! If he dies…"

"He won't; I'm sure of it!"

"I wish I were as sure as you. Even if he wakes up, I've lost him. He would've sacrificed himself for me, you know. After all I put him through, he still—"

"You're his navi, his brother," Medi reasoned. "He would do that. Jasmine would do it for me and I for her."

"You don't make her feel pain, though," said Rockman. "It's different. Even if Papa breaks the link, nothing will be the same anymore. Roll-chan is dead, and why should Papa or Netto-kun want to bring me back as a human? I don't deserve it. That's what Roll-chan said, you know, when Imi-chan touched me again. She said I was worse than Imi-chan. Do you believe that?"

Medi looked away, at a loss for an answer. How could she help him? These weren't the problems she was meant to cure. She could mend his limbs and soothe his scrapes, but nothing in her medicine cabinet could break this…pathological chain of thoughts. And Medi knew well what happened to navis who pondered existential questions to the point of dysfunction.

They were sent to the recycle bin.

"But Imi-chan is out there, too," said Rockman. "She's still out there…"

That's right. Imi was still on the loose, and three rows back and two seats over, her father was working on a solution: a cure if he could or, if he couldn't, then whatever it would take to stop her. Medi might not have the cure for what ailed Rockman, but she was an expert in the ways of navis and the health of the body. She could restore its energies and revitalize with one concoction while brewing another to debilitate and cripple. Such was her power, and if her curses of weakness or death could halt Echo's rampage and bring peace of mind to her Rockman, it was small price to pay, a miniscule stain on her immortal soul, should navis have souls at all.

—

The plane landed at a humid place, a ramshackle airfield with moss and weeds along the runway. Already Hideki narrowed down the possibilities: humid, tropical. Somewhere near the equator. The strip bore signs in Latin letters and Arabic numerals, but that told him nothing. That was standard international procedure.

"Everyone, if you please." Enzan held up a black strip of cloth and handed it to Yuriko, who looked at him in confusion.

"What is this?" she asked.

"A blindfold."

"You can't be serious," said Miyabi. "We already played your game on the plane. You want us to go about a foreign country with only our hands and feet to guide us?"

"I expect you to do it, or you can go back to Japan," said Enzan.

And so, one by one, the Cross Fusion Members received their blindfolds and piled into the convoy of armored cars. Enzan and Hideki took the lead car, and the others, once safely inside, covered their eyes as promised.

"And you, Nakamura-hakase?" asked Enzan.

"I think if she touches me, knowing the location of the safe house will be the least of your concerns."

"This is true." Thus, Enzan conceded the point, and the convoy went on its way.

And the path told Hideki much indeed. Once off the airport land, they scooted over dirt-covered roads, past vegetable stands and wandering chickens and cattle.

_Enzan-kun's really put us in the sticks, hasn't he._

Not that there wasn't wisdom in such a choice. Fewer people around would reduce their visibility, the chance that someone might compromise the security of the safe house. That said, it also made their convoy stand out: even rusty military jeeps attracted wild amounts of attention compared to carts, wagons, and old, beat-up Gremlins.

Some of the signs bore the script of the region: an unintelligible mass of squiggles and curves, but that, at least, would tell him something too. It eliminated the Western Hemisphere, at least. They'd gone east. Not Choina—of that he was sure. Could be one of the many fill-in-the-blank-istans around. It didn't look like Arabic, but then, what would he know?

"We secured this safe house from the Namastian authorities," Enzan explained. "In exchange, we offered them some of our findings on dimensional areas and the like."

Well. That was easy.

Not so easy now. Hideki put his pencil and paper away, at a loss for what to do next.

"Are you making progress, hakase?"

Progress. So that's what he was supposed to be doing.

The convoy rolled on, of course, to the outskirts of town. The quaint semblances of civilization gave way to dense jungle and winding roads that clung to the hillside. And at last, after about another hour on the road, a villa appeared on the slopes, the lone touch of humanity among these wild lands.

It wouldn't be for long, would it? No matter where they went, Imi would follow. She'd destroy the trees and vines, level the mountains and dam the rivers all to get to him.

"What _are_ you going to do for onee-san, Papa?" asked Codey.

Hideki tapped on the laptop lid. "I don't know."

—

When the convoy arrived, Enzan mobilized the Members. This was no vacation villa; it was a fortress, and they would protect Hideki at all costs. Aside from a glance downstairs at a pair of dimensional converters, however, Hideki got little of the grand tour. Enzan showed him to an exterior room with but a bed, a window, and a desk for him to work. At least they had internet. Damnably slow satellite internet, perhaps, but internet all the same. He could download something like "Hot Babes in Kahiti" or—

A beat. Something about this desk was…wrong. He traced his finger on the grain. The polish was smooth, but his nail caught on little grooves in the finish. Though an overcast haze damped the afternoon sun, the light gleamed off the surface. It was truly an elegant desk. A writer's desk, perhaps.

Or a drafter's. A desk for someone to draw on.

"_Good morning, Masuyo-chan! It's time to wake up!"_

He flinched.

"Something the matter, Papa?"

"Nothing." He laid the laptop and Imi's PET—no, Codey's! Codey's PET, not Imi's! It couldn't be hers; she didn't belong to him anymore! She never did, did she? She was Masuyo's but never his, and that was the end of it.

"Maybe I'm not getting enough sleep," he remarked, sitting on the corner of the bed. Nice, soft, comfortable bed. Hadn't seen one of those in ages. Even at his apartment in Densan, he preferred the support of reclining chairs. It felt less…vulnerable. He wouldn't miss anything if he were ready to stand and run, would he? And he had to be ready to stand and run, lest a familiar voice carry through all the appliances in the flat.

"_WHY DID YOU ABANDON ME, PAPA? PAPA!"_

He jerked upright, startled.

"Papa, what's the matter? What's happening?"

It wasn't just the desk, was it? Something about the room, the walls, the size of the bed.

"Papa…?"

"Be quiet for a moment, Imi," he told her.

"I'm not onee—"

"Shh!"

The colors, the paint! Yes, that was it. The colors were all wrong. Tinged with blue, they were, but they couldn't hide the pink undertones. This was Masuyo's room! The faint outlines where pictures had hung—they were there, jumping out at him like panthers from the jungle. The lush, soft bed—it was hers, and she lay there, supporting the drawing pad on her knees—her weak, unresponsive knees.

And on the desk, Imi paraded about the pencils and sketches. She amused herself with the most mundane things: with erasers and pencil sharpeners and—

"Papa!"

And she was calling to him. Yes, even her eyes—those stark red eyes—called to him. What was he thinking? He'd thought them cute (red on green, yes! red on green works for everything, everything!), but now they shot at him like ruby lasers.

"_Why did you abandon me, Papa?"_

"Stop looking at me like that, Imi."

But her eyes plead to him. They asked a thousand questions, each demanding his answer.

"I said stop looking at me like that!"

"_Don't you want to see her smile again?"_ she asked. _"Don't you want to see me smile for her?"_

"Papa—"

Hideki covered his face with his arms. If it would just go away and leave him be!

"_I'll always be with you, Papa. I'll always smile. See? I'm her now, and you won't have to miss her. You won't have to be sad, Papa! I love you, Papa. Papa…"_

"GET IT AWAY!" he shrieked. "Get it away get it away—"

"Doctor!" A girl with pale cheeks and wide eyes trotted into the room on her narrow shoes. "Dr. Nakamura!"

Slowly, he inched his eyes open. The PET was there; everything was there.

Save for Masuyo's corpse on the bed, at least.

"Are you all right, Papa?"

"I think so," he said, rising to his feet. "Codey."

"What happened?" asked Jasmine. "Are you all right? Was Echo here?"

Was she here strictly? No, but she would always be with him, wouldn't she? No matter where he went, no matter how he hid. He carried her within, and the torment, the torture, the running—none of it would stop, not without action. Not without _his_ action. Painful as it may be, he would have to confront the memories of Imi, lest they confront him instead.

He would have to fix her. Or stop her. Or both, as the case may be.

"Nothing's wrong," he assured Jasmine. "I was just…getting ready to work."

"Have you…made any progress?"

The voice was unfamiliar to him, but he soon noticed Medi over the girl's shoulder.

"No," he said. "No progress."

"Then, I think I can help you," said Medi. "If I may, that is."

He looked to the PET, where Codey lay. Even now, his fingers trembled just to approach it. Instead, he curled them in a fist and sat down at the desk, opening his laptop.

"Why the hell not."

**3**

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

He opened his eyes to the slow, steady beat. Like a metronome. Beat, beat, beat. Sixty, no eighty beats per minute? Beat, beat, beat. Shouldn't there be music here? Music from a piano, perhaps, from Meiru's piano? That'd be awfully nice. Not like the low warble that pounded his ears. That wasn't nice. That wasn't nice at all.

The low warble that pulsed in time with the metronome. Pulsed…in time…

_Where am I?_ He sat up.

Twinge. The human body has many pain receptors. Even a small fraction of them firing could cause acute feelings of agony or, in this case, soreness.

And boy did Netto feel it today. When the local sumo team had borrowed him to be their couch cushion he couldn't say, but no one could accuse him of slouching on the job. Even his eyelids burned with fatigue.

'_Good morning, Netto-kun.'_

Rockman. Saito, his brother. The knowledge of events, the patterns of memory—they traversed the link like waves on a tether. _What are you doing there, nii-san? With Medi and Jasmine and—_

'_It was nice, while you were asleep.'_

_It's nice when you sleep, too._

'_It is, isn't it.'_

Rockman's terseness betrayed his true thoughts, however. The sight of Meiru, Yaito, and Yuuichirou slumped in their chairs and huddled under blankets only punctuated his fears. Their fears. Somebody's fears. The link could be bothersome like that.

'_Roll-chan felt I was hurting them, like you.'_

Meiru's desperate screams resounded in Netto's skull. Though only Rockman heard them—Netto'd been out cold—they shared the memories now. Netto could only guess what desperate things she would've done to wake him after Rockman left.

_Roll's probably right._

'_What can we do now, Netto-kun?'_

What could they do? He was there, and Netto was here. It was the difference between tropical jungle and temperate Ameroupe. Truth be told, there wasn't much to be done at all, save for ask questions and answer them.

_Why didn't you come home? Imi'd left; you couldn't hope to find her after that. Why go to Medi?_

For once, the link was quiet. Not silent completely, but quiet all the same, for Rockman pondered the answer to this question with great care.

'_I was afraid,'_ he finally said. _'I knew you were asleep. I thought Meiru-chan might be angry; Roll-chan definitely was, even though I know she said some of those things to save me. I didn't know where else I could go but Medi and Jasmine. Medi was a friend once, after all.'_

_Still is._

'_Still is.'_

There was a cold silence, and Netto reflected on how soft linen fibers stuck in his skin like barbs.

'_Do you think Imi-chan was right?'_ asked Rockman. _'I know I've done things I shouldn't. Roll-chan told me as much…'_

Netto stared at the ceiling. _Maybe you should think about it for yourself. I don't know if I can think for you anymore. I can't think for the two of us._

Rockman wanted to nod his assent. Netto nodded for him, his hair rubbing against the pillow.

"Netto?" Meiru sprang from her seat and latched onto his arm, but her touch was like a dozen needles piercing his flesh.

"Ah, no touch, no touch!" he said, wincing.

"Sorry!"

'_I think I will,'_ said Rockman. _'Think about it, that is. Thank you, Netto-kun.'_

_For what?_

'_For being honest. For being my brother.'_

—

Truth be told, Netto didn't feel much like a brother. Meiru's quick exclamation had awoken the others—Yuuichirou and Yaito—who, in turn, expressed their relief that Netto was well. The commotion pained him, though, and drowned him in a den of noise. Mercifully, Yaito took Glyde outside to track down Rockman, their satellites having lost Enzan in the airport in town. Meiru was more difficult to persuade, but Netto convinced her he would be all right. Meiru rubbed his hand—the only touch or sensation that could soothe him—and took her leave as well.

Which left but a pensive father and his injured son.

"The doctors tell me they couldn't find anything wrong with you," said Yuuichirou. "Other than signs of stress which…well, I understand."

Netto rolled to his side, fighting the pain, to meet his father's gaze.

"Are you all right?" asked Yuuichirou.

"I'm tired, more than anything," said Netto. "I still feel every hit, every punch like I took it, but it's okay. It'll pass."

"And Saito? I know you said he's with Enzan—"

"He's gone to sleep. He liked it when he got to think for himself, and he thought I should have the chance, too."

"He's not hurt?"

"Jasmine's looking after him. Medi's working with Nakamura-hakase."

"I see." Yuuichirou let the tension flow out of his body. He pulled a chair to Netto's bedside and wiped his face with his hands.

"What's wrong, Papa?"

He folded his glasses and looked his son straight in the eye. "When we rode in the ambulance, you were sleeping, and Saito was gone. I thought I'd lost both of you today."

Netto frowned.

"But now that you're both all right—"

"We're not."

"You're not?"

Netto pushed the blankets away, but their friction stung him. Even still, he repelled his father's touch and sat upright in the hospital bed.

"You're just sensitive," said Yuuichirou. "It's an after-effect of all the pain you felt in through the link. It'll pass, and if it doesn't, I'll find a way. I'm close, I think. The data from before the train—"

"It's not this," said Netto. "It's nii-san. Imi touched him again; she showed him things from Roll."

"And?"

"Roll told him she couldn't love him anymore. She hardly recognized him."

"I'm sure she knew who he—"

"I mean…compared to who he used to be."

Yuuichirou leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "I'm going to fix this, Netto. That's a promise."

"I know you will. I know you can fix us, but…can you fix him, too?"

"Some things can't be fixed with technology. _We_ will have to bring Saito home, and we'll have to be there for him."

"I've tried to help him, though!" Netto protested. "When he was going after Imi, I yelled at him. I told him I wouldn't forgive him if he touched her, but he did it anyway. I didn't want to give him everything, but I didn't want him to die, either. None of it helped; Imi's still out there, and nii-san wouldn't come home. He's afraid of me now."

"These things take time," said Yuuichirou. "It took time to get here, and it'll take time to recover."

Netto looked away. "Papa, can you…give me a moment?"

"Alone?"

He nodded.

"Of course." Yuuichirou patted his son's tender shoulder and left the room, and Netto lay back, his head against the wall.

_It's as bad as I thought._

Ah, but no, it was worse. Rockman's erratic behavior he could handle, so long as only he bore the brunt of the damage. Rockman was his brother, after all, and Netto would endure whatever tortures and trials to keep him stable and sane, but Roll showed them horror, and it was horror that Netto never expected. He wasn't the only one with a weight to bear. Meiru's errant cries over his unconscious body told him that; had he heard them himself and not through Rockman's memories, he would shudder as violently. And it wasn't just Meiru, either. Enzan and the others put their navis at risk, and their father, Yuuichirou, had to face the fear of losing both of them. Netto would gladly put aside his own resentments to save his brother, but to see so many others suffer as well…

Should he have helped Rockman at all?

CRASH! The overhead lights flickered.

Netto shook off his stupor; the buzz of adrenaline shot him out of bed.

_That's Imi…_

—

Netto stumbled and limped from his room. His muscles, sore and weak, supported his weight, but each step was a struggle. He leaned against the wall and hopped along the tile floor toward a waiting room, where a young redhead sat frozen on a couch.

"Meiru!"

Her head snapped to the side. "No, Netto, stop!"

But he pressed on, and as he rounded the corner, the truth became clear. Yaito cowered behind Yuuichirou, who stood tall, arms spread, but Imi held two swords on them: one at Yuuichirou at Yaito, the other at Meiru.

"I see you're awake, Netto-san," said Imi. "Good morning."

"What is this?" he demanded. "What are you doing to Meiru and Papa?"

Imi glanced at the couch. Far from Meiru's reach lay her PET with its Battle Chip Gate attachment, and behind Yuuichirou, Yaito clutched her own PET, safe in her hands.

"You were looking for him," said Netto. "Weren't you?"

Yaito nodded slowly.

"You shouldn't have!" he said. "Enzan and Nakamura-hakase were safe until now; they—" He stopped himself. Even if he'd said nothing of Rockman's whereabouts, it was inevitable, wasn't it? Yaito or Meiru or Papa—they would seek out Enzan and Nakamura. They would want to know what was happening, and Imi counted on that, didn't she? She knew sooner or later they would find out where her father had gone. She'd stalked them…

"Give it to me, Yaito-san," said Imi. "This doesn't have to hurt."

Slowly, Yaito crept from Yuuichirou's protection. Only when Glyde evacuated the PET for Meiru's did she hand over her own, however.

"I see." Imi finished her examination of the contents. She cast the PET away, tossing it to a faraway corner. "That was easy, wasn't it?" She disappeared down a Rush Hole, and no one among them could stop her.

_We were helpless._

His footing gave way. Meiru and Yuuichirou dashed to Netto's side, catching him inches above the hard ceramic tile, but Netto was hardly concerned with his own fate.

"Where did they go? Where did she go?"

"Namaste!" called Yaito, dusting off her PET. "They've gone to Namaste."

Netto shook off his friend and father and walked the path back to his room alone. "Then that's where we're going, too. We won't be helpless anymore…"

**4**

"Shouldn't you be working, doctor?"

Nakamura Hideki crossed the parlor, climbing over sleeping bags. His protectors laid themselves out, for almost a day of flight had left most of them fatigued beyond recognition. Here, only Laika stood watch, perched close to Pride's sleeping bag.

"Needed to stretch my legs," said Hideki. "Made some progress."

"Have you seen Jasmine?" asked Laika.

"She's in my room, sleeping."

Laika raised an eyebrow.

"The door is open," explained Hideki.

"Are you close? To a solution, I mean?"

That was a more difficult question. Hours with Medi had unearthed all manner of navi paralytics and toxins that, she hoped, would serve to weaken Imi. Hideki doubted these methods' effectiveness, for surely if any conventional weapon could cripple Imi so easily, they would've found it already. No, Hideki rejected Medi's particular skill set, but the _idea_, at least, was sound. Imi was unique, and as such, the solution to their problem would be unique as well. Indeed, the answer was painfully obvious:

Use her copying abilities against her.

But this left Hideki with his original conundrum—he'd have to probe her program for a weakness or unique point of entry, yet if he was doing that, why not do the harder thing? Why not discover the flaw that made her copy navis wholesale and hear their voices? Why not fix that? Codey thought that would be fair.

"They're not the same thing," said Hideki. "What makes Imi copy navis could stem from any number of things. A bad sensory perception routine or imitative code hooking into—"

"Is it that hard to fix onee-san?" asked Codey.

Well, to tell the truth…no, it wasn't that hard. How it could take, in Enzan's words, "whole teams of scientists pouring through her code just to understand her algorithms" was beyond him. Perhaps that was the fallacy of a creator, but there it was. Give him a few days, and more likely than not, he'd find the misplaced semicolon or duplicate subroutine that granted Imi her potent yet terrifying curse.

But did he want to? Hideki knew well that he could fix Imi but not cure her. Her abilities only gave form and extent to her madness. No doubt even if he did repair her faulty programming, the authorities would demand permanent incarceration at best, deletion at worst. What a crime it would be, to grant her fleeting sanity just before erasing her from existence. It could well be better to let her die crazy, if only so she wouldn't know what was happening to her, wouldn't really fear…

He slapped himself upside the head. She might be mad, but she wasn't so oblivious to the real world. Her perceptions were fine; her _reactions_, however, were twisted, deranged, and even then…what else would one do if they heard the voices of people they touched? If you found killing the real navis effective at silencing the ones in your head, wouldn't you do it?

_I'd consider it. I like to think I wouldn't do it, that I could avoid touching—_

He stopped. "That's it."

"What's it?" asked Codey. "Papa, what is it?"

"Touch." Hideki raced across the parlor back to his room. He plopped into the chair and paged through the code with intensity and fervor.

"What is it?" Medi spoke in a hushed whisper, hoping not to wake Jasmine or Rockman.

"What we needed," said Hideki, twirling his pencil his fist, "was an infection route. We can expose Imi to an outside agent without harming anyone else, and not through puny viruses or worms either. We can do it with something so amazingly simple: with touch."

Medi's curious gaze brightened considerably. "So no one else would be at risk…"

"Exactly!" said Hideki. "Maybe we can sneak one of your formulas into a vector, get her to touch it—"

"But Papa," said Codey, "why would onee-san touch it?"

Hideki frowned. Codey's point positively deflated his plan. Imi had little reason to touch anyone or anything. She might try touching him, simply to know her "father" again, much as he disliked the notion, but objectively speaking, she would only touch people or navis she'd already touched before. More often than not, those navis ended up dead or…

Or…

"What is it?" asked Medi. "What are you looking at?"

Not her, of course. She'd never touched Imi. The other navi in her PET, however…

"NO! No way; you can't be serious!"

"Can you think of someone else, then?" asked Hideki. "Someone else Imi would touch?"

"I came here because of him!" Medi protested. "I wanted to help him, help you put a stop to that navi of yours! You can't ask me—you can't ask _him_ to—"

But Rockman stirred. He wiped his eyes and stretched his arms, lying on his side. "Medi?"

"Go back to sleep," said the nurse navi. "Everything's all right."

"No," he said. "It's not."

"I won't let them use you!" she declared. "You don't have to worry; you don't have to sacrifice any more. We'll find another answer, won't we, doctor?"

Hideki nodded weakly, but Rockman shook his head.

"Imi-chan's coming," he said. "She's coming real soon."

Hideki blanched. "Oh no," he said. "Not again." He peeked through the blinds; nothing yet, but then, he could see only a small fraction of the outside from this angle, too. Too much uncertainty, too much confusion, not enough time. "Wake them up, Medi!" he said. "Wake everybody up!"

"Jasmine? Jasmine!"

Hideki dashed from the room. He jumped across the living room and sleeping bags like they were an obstacle course.

"Dr. Nakamura—"

And he blazed past Laika, barged through the door to the basement, and ran downstairs. The blue glow of the dimensional converters lit his path to the control console, and he jammed every button he could find.

"Come on!"

They pulsed, and soon, the faint hum of netherspace rang in his ears.

"What's happened, doctor?" called Laika. "What's going on?"

"Look out the windows!" said Hideki. "What do you see?"

Laika went quiet after that, and as Hideki ascended the stairs again, he heard the other Members awaken and groan.

"Doctor!"

His gut sank. Hideki jogged to the window with Laika and peeked over the windowsill. At the edge of the dimensional area, a small girl with a cone-shaped hat folded her arms and sat patiently, as if counting the minutes 'til the barrier failed.

"Go wake Enzan," said Laika. "Everyone, stay down, and be on your guard! Echo is with us; prepare yourselves!"

And so the Cross Fusion Members rolled up their sleeping bags, straightened their clothes, and counted their battle chips. For now, there would be no rest for them. Their greatest foe lay in wait, and they needed to be ready to fight.

The siege had begun.


	21. Sons

Just two more chapters to go! After this one, "Resurrection and Life." And check out my new blog—westofarcturus [dot] blogspot [dot] com—for my thoughts on this chapter and writing in general.

**Chapter Eighteen: Sons**

As sunrise broke over Ameroupe, four figures walked across the bustling airport terminal. Actually, only three of them walked, for the fourth they pushed along in a wheelchair. They strode boldly through the squares of golden sun that streaked from the windows. They had only their mission, and nothing would stop them.

"_We won't be helpless again."_

They halted at the security checkpoint, and Yuuichirou retrieved the boarding passes from his coat. "Here you are, Meiru-chan, and this one is yours, Netto."

"But oji-san," said Meiru, "what about you? And Yaito-chan—"

"You two don't need me there," said Yaito. "I'm in enough trouble already; the Net Police are going to come down hard on me for this. It's my fault Imi knows where Enzan and the others went."

"And Papa?" asked Netto.

"I'm going back home, son," said Yuuichirou. "I think I've made a breakthrough regarding you and Saito. I'm going back to Japan to try it out, and I hope, when this is done, you'll be able to come back home, too. Both of you."

Netto nodded. "I promise I'll bring him back this time." He pressed on the armrests, lifting himself, but his knees still wobbled under his weight. Meiru propped him up, however, and he offered his boarding pass and ID to the guard.

"Well," said Meiru, looking between Yuuichirou and Yaito, "we'll see each other again, right?"

"Actually…" Yuuichirou fished through his pockets. "There's something I have for you, Meiru-chan."

"What's that?"

Yuuichrou glanced over her shoulder, at Netto. "Why don't you go ahead to the retinal scanner?" he said. "Meiru-chan will be with you shortly."

Netto obeyed without question, shuffling his feet slightly as they dragged.

"What's the—"

A small, cold piece of metal touched her palm. Meiru examined the chip, and it bore a familiar green disc in the middle.

"A Synchro Chip?"

"Not exactly," said Yuuichirou. "It's a fake."

"A fake?"

"I didn't get the chance while he was awake," said the scientist. "I didn't have the idea until after Imi came and left, but…you heard what I said. I'd like both Saito and Netto to come home this time. I think I can separate them. We have the data; we just need the both of them there."

"So why don't you—"

"Do you think Rockman would come willingly?"

Meiru blinked for a moment. "I'm not sure."

"Neither am I, nor is Netto, but I think, like with Imi before, Saito will come back to the PET if he needs Netto's help, and he will. They can't use Cross Fusion without it."

She held the chip up to the light, and it glimmered in the sun.

"It's a trick," she said. "It's a trap; it'll keep him there!"

"That's right."

"And Netto…" She looked down the checkpoint, where a red diode shined in Netto's eye. "He can't know, can he? Then Rockman would, too."

"I leave the decision in your hands, Meiru-chan," said Yuuichirou. "If you think there's a better way…"

She nodded, but her fingers wrapped around the chip and hid it in her purse without another word.

"Good luck!" said Yaito. "See you soon, right?"

Meiru showed her ID and boarding pass to the guard, who let her through, and when they finished scanning her eye, she met up with Netto beyond the x-ray machines. He held his hand out, and though it trembled slightly, he bore a warm smile.

"Shall we go?"

Meiru took his hand, but she dared not respond, lest her voice give away any hint of betrayal.

**1**

Six hours.

For six hours, the Cross Fusion Members holed themselves up in the safehouse, peeking only through blinds and over windowsills. For six hours, Imi sat beyond the dimensional area. Sometimes she walked, yawned, but more often than not, she stared straight ahead, as if her gaze pierced the walls, but all the same, she waited.

And so did the Members. They played cards to candlelight, for Enzan worried about their power situation. It was bad enough they were sinking watt after watt into the converters downstairs. Granted, a few hundred watts for lightbulbs would probably be trivial at that point, but still, he was cautious. Besides, the glow of the dimensional area provided a fair bit of light, though its shimmering turned his stomach sometimes.

The truth of the matter was it all reduced to simple mathematics. They had generators to make power, a battery reserve to story it, and converters and everything else in the house using it. Subtract generation from consumption, divide it out of stored energy. Energy over power equals time, after all, and how much time did they have?

A day. Maybe a day and a half, depending on the estimate. Running dimensional converters for all 86,400 seconds in the day was ill-advised, to say the least. If they didn't give out before then…well, it didn't matter. That would just be fortune smiling on them.

Enzan _hated_ relying on fortune. It was totally antithetical to his philosophy. His style of combat was all about control and calculation. There was no way he'd let this ordeal come down to the wire. Imi had to know this was no stalemate; for now, she had the advantage, and it was his job, his _duty_, to reverse that. He needed to be proactive. He needed to see Nakamura.

Instead, he saw Rockman, and it was all he could do to hold his tongue and keep from berating the navi for giving them away again, whether it was his fault or not. Oh, when they got back home, Enzan would have the Ayanokoujis' corporate empire on a funeral pyre and spread the ashes along the black beaches of Jawaii. She was always meddling in his affairs, harassing—

"Something you want?" asked Hideki.

"What's your progress?" asked Enzan.

"I've been writing a frame-destroying program. Once the program attaches itself to a host, it will break down motor functions and eventually the whole of the navi's body."

"And that has to do with Echo?"

"It will weaken Imi enough for you to take her," said Hideki. "And if she keeps resisting, then she won't get the cure, and…"

"What about delivery?"

"We attach it to another navi first."

"Who?"

Hideki looked to Rockman.

"Oh," said Enzan. "Because he's—"

"Yes."

Enzan chewed over the possibility for a moment.

"What about fixing her?" he asked. "Properly?"

Hideki shuddered. "It…would take time."

"How long?"

"A few days, I think. That's my best guess; I haven't really looked."

"Why not?"

Hideki shrugged off the question, leaning into the screen. In truth, it made little difference. If he wanted to avoid the possibility, that was his prerogative. Enzan had little patience to play games with the man. If the first option involved making Rockman a human sacrifice and the second option Hideki kept avoiding, then Enzan would find a third one.

—

When Imi first appeared, Enzan had rounded up the Members and scrambled them into Cross Fusion as fast as possible. Even with the jammers, they were deathly afraid of a breach, but it soon became clear that Imi knew not how to penetrate the barrier, which led to the wary standoff. Since it made little sense to stay in Cross Fusion for hours on end, the other Members simply lay in wait. They knew well that Imi could summon Spike Towers and other weapons within the area even if she were outside it, but they hoped she would refrain, lest she harm her own father in the process.

So far, that assumption was safe. Whether Enzan, alone, would be exempt from her wrath was less certain. All the same, he left the others behind. If he was going to go out there and negotiate, he had to appear disarming, and what better way than unarmed?

And, for that matter, if she killed him, they would never appease her demands. Only if she expected that would she risk a bold move. Thus, Enzan chose to be bold himself.

Imi tapped on the wall of the area. "What do you want, Enzan-san?"

"I think that's my question to you."

She looked beyond him. They were alone, on bare, wet dirt, with the house about 50 meters from the perimeter.

"I want my papa," she said. "I don't want to be broken anymore."

"That can be arranged," said Enzan. "Surrender yourself."

"I have a condition."

"I will turn you over to him; as long as you're cut off from the net, I don't care—"

"I want to touch him."

Enzan narrowed his eyes. "You want to what?"

"That's what was supposed to happen, you know," she said. "On the train…"

"I gathered. What I don't know is why."

"Do you think he would, Enzan-san? Fix me, I mean?"

"I don't see why he shouldn't."

She laughed. "You don't know Papa. He scares easily, and he's scared of me. I frighten him. I _repulse_ him. That's what he and Codey-kun said. The last time I saw them, they condemned me."

Enzan frowned. This conversation was not going in the right direction; Imi had steeled herself rather than tear down the wall and cooperate. "He may have said that, but I know he doesn't mean it now."

A lie. A fabulous lie. Did she have the faith to believe?

"Maybe," she said, "but that's why I need to touch him. That's why I need to be sure."

He shook his head. "That's not on the table."

"Then there's nothing for us to talk about."

"I can lower the area," he offered. "I can let you inside. Walk right in; you can talk to him."

"And if I lay a hand on him, you'll try to delete me," said Imi. "Isn't that so?"

He turned away, trudging over the dirt back to the compound. "I don't have time for your moronic stubbornness."

"But Enzan-san—"

He shrugged and tapped his watch. "You might want to back up."

Warily, Imi stepped back, and from high in the sky, a second dimensional area formed around the first, which then receded and vanished. Sixty seconds later, the inner area reformed, and the outer one disappeared, as if nothing had happened.

Imi sat back down, and Enzan shut the door to the safehouse.

"That went well," said Imi.

In truth, it hadn't gone badly. Enzan made his offer, and Imi rejected it. What more he could plan to do from there…well, that was his business. Hers was getting inside, and the way things were going, she'd probably have to pay a high price for it.

_I should've taken his offer and touched Papa anyway. There'd be nothing they can do at that point. Then I'd know, and this would be over._

'_Forgive us if we don't empathize.'_

Imi sighed. _Oh, Roll-san…_

'_I'm surprised, Imi-chan,'_ said Roll. _'You haven't killed anyone yet.'_

_Roll-san, really! I'm not like that. I think you're thinking of Rockman-san._

Roll fumed. _'No, you're worse! A thousand times worse! Rockman is Rockman, but you—'_

_So you regret what you said?_

'_This isn't about me!'_

_No, it's about me, so let me think._

'_You've had plenty of time to think, Imi,'_ said Masuyo. _'What conclusions have you reached?'_

_Papa doesn't trust me. He's too afraid._

'_Trust is earned,'_ said Roll. _'What have you done to earn his trust?'_

What had she done…to earn…?

'_The only thing you can do now is give yourself over to them,'_ said Masuyo. _'Without that, Papa will _never_ trust you.'_

Imi mulled over these words, for they rang very true. She'd been entirely sneaky with Yaito and Meiru, watching them from shadows, masquerading as nurses. She'd done the same with Enzan before that. Rockman, too, had looked her in the eye and seen not her but Roll instead. Up to now, Imi hadn't shied away from deceiving to achieve her ends. Enzan had no reason to believe her motives true; a lesser navi might well resent her father for abandoning her and seek vengeance on his head. Imi wasn't like that, of course—she loved her father—but how were they to know? There were far too many moments when even _she_ disgusted herself, when the cries of the choir overwhelmed her, and all she could see were enemies—evil, spiteful people that wanted nothing more than to keep her from her father, deny her his love. That desperation, that rage had awakened Roll, crippled the Members' navis. It was a powerful, dark place to be, yet it terrified her. All this time she'd been fighting against the souls she stole, and now they were fighting back, turning her own emotions against her.

Even now, they whispered to her, and though their voices were hushed and almost unintelligible, they rang with a clear overtone.

_I can't trust them, either._

Not them, not anyone. There was no reasoning out of this situation. There was only action, and she would act. She would get inside and make Papa see. Only then would he know her pain and understand.

Imi looked to the sky for the faint twinkle of light, the one where the phantom areas came from. She knew not where Enzan had hidden his new set of generators, but it didn't matter. It was almost time.

She hugged the wall of the dimensional area and waited.

—

"What is she doing?" asked Dingo. "She has to know it's almost time!"

"She does," said Nenji. "She's up to something."

Laika and Enzan checked their watches. Sure enough, the end of the fifteen-minute window approached. This had been Enzan's master tactic against Imi: with the cooperation of the Namastians, they launched a dimensional area generator into orbit, subject to international use and cooperation. They knew of the safehouse, and as long as the night sky was clear, they watched for his signal or for the land-based area to fail.

And it did fail. Every fifteen minutes, the generators cooled down and cycled for sixty seconds, but the orbital generators kicked in to cover the gap. Thus far, this rotation, along with a network of signal jammers in the house, kept Imi out.

"She's out of her mind!"

But not anymore. Imi leaned against the inner barrier as the second overlaid it. The gap was large—about a meter or two—but it quickly shrunk to match the inner wall's size. It shrunk, and it squeezed Imi to fit.

"Enzan," said Laika, "is it possible—?"

"Slot-in your chips, everyone," said Enzan. "She's coming."

Imi cried and screamed; she erected a tiny Dream Aura to hold the barrier back, but her agony made itself known even though the walls of the house.

"Can she survive that?" asked Pride.

Enzan checked his watch, and the ticking hand told all that needed to be said.

"Yes."

The inner barrier collapsed, and Imi, scrunched but alive, stood tall and defiant within the dimensional area.

"Let's go!" said Enzan. "Move, move!"

**2**

"They're trying to push her back."

Along the aisle, a flight attendant pushed a cart of soda and pretzels.

"He's watching?" asked Meiru.

"Through the window," said Netto. "It's hard to see; Nakamura-hakase doesn't want to open the blinds."

"Yeah, if Imi saw him…"

"Enzan ran by. He's going to signal somehow…a big light. He points it to the sky."

Neither of them knew what to make of that.

"It's blinking," said Netto. "Rockman says it's code. They're going to launch the dimensional area when they can shove Imi to the edge, so they need the big one to stay on…" He sighed. "I'm sorry; this probably doesn't make any sense."

"It's all right. Keep going."

He nodded. "The fight isn't going well. She's weak. She got crushed between the walls, but she's still going. She's sucking the life out of them."

Meiru shifted in her seat. This wasn't what she wanted to hear, not for nine more hours on the way to Namaste. She didn't need visions of Imi setting the jungles ablaze or slaughtering their friends. That Netto had no choice but to look through Rockman's eyes…it could only be harder for them.

But Netto kept talking. On and on about the battle against Imi, Nakamura's work. Rockman suspected something, you see, though Medi, Jasmine, and Nakamura had spoken of it in only hushed, discreet whispers. They shared theories and speculation; none of it interested her. Imi's affairs mattered little, for the apathy Meiru felt over Netto's lifeless, sleeping body had yet to pass. Apathy towards Imi, rather; apathy was all the little navi deserved. These issues of truth and motive and intrigue—they were so very trivial, inconsequential.

When she held Netto's hand, none of them mattered anymore.

"Meiru?"

And that name made her feel warm inside.

"You're not listening," said Netto.

"No," she said. "I'm not."

He wrinkled his brow and stared at the tiny pack of peanuts on his tray. "Things aren't good out there, you know."

"Don't worry. There's no point in worrying when everything else is far away."

He shifted in his seat, as if uncomfortable with her answer. "He's there, so I'm there."

None too subtle, Meiru slipped her fingers in his. "I'm here."

He smiled and nodded and lay back in the seat. With her hand to anchor him, he closed his eyes, his brow furrowing only occasionally…and then not at all.

_That's right, Netto. Rest. You deserve it._

Perhaps it was the physical wear of sharing his brother's agonies. Goodness knew he'd slept enough already, but Netto quickly went out like a light, leaving Meiru wide awake by the window. Funny how he could sleep with other voices, other sensations in his mind, when she had only the loose grip of his hand. She should've been the one sleeping, not him, yet she had something far worse to keep her up that flight.

_The Synchro Chip._

The _fake_ Synchro Chip, the one Yuuichirou gave her. She rummaged her purse to find it, and she twirled it between her thumb and forefinger, just as she'd done with Rush's chip two months ago. That one she'd found on the lawn, and it told of Rush's deletion at Imi's hands. This one…well, they were both bad omens, weren't they? They harbored death and betrayal.

That's what Yuuichirou asked her to do: betray Netto. Trick him, deceive him for his own sake. For a moment, she thought it cowardly of him—why didn't he switch the chips himself? He had plenty of opportunities. Why didn't he come along, with his _son_, so he could make this decision, not her?

"_I'm going back home, son. I think I've made a breakthrough regarding you and Saito. I'm going back to Japan to try it out, and I hope, when this is done, you'll be able to come back home, too. Both of you."_

He left no room for doubt; Netto's father believed he could separate the brothers Hikari, sever the mental link between them, end their suffering…

And they did suffer, didn't they? Netto seized her hand, tensing and crushing her fingers. He squirmed and turned his head away…

…and relaxed. Limp, loose.

Carefully, slowly, Meiru retracted her hand and rubbed the joints. It was something he saw—she was certain of it. Something from far away, from Rockman and Namaste. Even now, fast asleep, the images haunted him, tormented him. He would bear it alone if he could; he always did. Sure, he might whine or complain, but only when the pain ebbed and seeped away. At its height, at the apex of torture, he would say nothing at all. He'd stifle yells and screams. He'd take it when it counted and spout off about it when he knew he was safe, when she needn't worry anymore.

And now, despite his attempted play-by-play commentary on the battle across the world, Meiru knew they were still at the zenith of his trials. He'd talked a lot, but he'd _said_ nothing.

He needed her help, to ease him down.

"I'm sorry, Netto." She flipped through his collection of chips and found the real Synchro Chip. Truly, he would be none the wiser, but she would be, and she could imagine the look of hurt and disgust on his face when he realized the deception. It would stick with her, no matter how she apologized, even though she did it for him.

—

"I don't like this, Papa."

"Shh, Codey!" Hideki looked to the window, where Rockman peeked between the blinds. "Be quiet, or he'll hear you."

Codey frowned. At last, rather than speak, he opened a window on screen with his remarks instead. "I still don't like this."

"I realize that," Hideki typed back, "but what are you suggesting?"

"Is it so hard to help onee-san?"

Hideki squirmed. "I didn't say it was hard. Two or three days, and…" He stopped. The cursor taunted him for more, but he found himself unable to continue.

"So why aren't you helping her?"

He blinked. When did Codey get so forceful, so insistent? Was this just the loss of intonation and stress from communicating in text or something more? "Look, it's simple: we need to square this away first. As much as I hate to say it, your sister—" No, no no no, backspace backspace backspace. "Imi is violent and unstable. I'd be perfectly willing to try to cure her later, when we have a backup—"

"But you aren't," Codey interrupted. "You're afraid of her. You've always been afraid."

"I'm not afraid…" Hideki switched windows, pulling up Imi's code. He knew every line, every character he punched in, recognized function and purpose by sight. There was nothing to fear here; it was _beautiful_. It was art. That's what Imi was—a piece of art, made to rival the masters of the era. As a program, she was immaculate. Whatever plagued her was a simple error, no doubt, like a fleck of dust on the _Mona Lisa_. Would DaVinci himself dare touch-up his masterpiece without fear of damaging the whole? How could anyone reasonably expect him to get closer to perfection a second time?

Hideki looked to the blinds, and the flashes of Vulcan fire colored the glass and sill.

"It's not hard to be afraid of someone who can cut you in half," he typed.

At that, Codey went silent (well, more silent than popping words on a screen, but silent all the same). Hideki strung the code together at the tips of his fingers, stitched object and function and procedure like a master tailor with thread and needle. In some ways, it was invigorating; he was at home in his work. His project with Yuuichirou—the resurrections of their children—had only dragged him down. Their goals defied clean and concise definition, and the concepts never quite coalesced into something tangible or concrete. Here, his job was simple: this program had to disable and, given enough time, kill. There was no doubt that Imi would find some way to overcome it otherwise; she was resilient and resourceful. It was bad enough to code in the time delay. That was just a necessity of the task.

"Do you want her to die?" Codey displayed on the screen.

"No, of course not," replied Hideki. "It'd just be easier if she knew the stakes, if she thought she was running out of time and the only way to survive would be to…"

To what? Give herself up to him? Surrender unconditionally?

She wouldn't do it. Enzan himself said as much when passed by, on the way to the signal lamp. "She won't surrender without touching you, and I think we all know what that means."

It meant outside of the same miracle that saved Rockman, Imi would disembowel him or decapitate him or inflict some other horrible death as retribution. That's what he would do, if he were a psychotic, murderous little navi whose father cast her to the lonely corners of the net. Indeed, that he even considered her _psychotic_ and _murderous_ would only cement her sentiments. Her touch would tell her all she needed to know about her father: that he regretted her existence altogether.

But was it enough to kill her? That was the curious predicament. Hideki genuinely believed a stopgap measure was wise and prudent and smart. In the end, any cure he devised could go dreadfully awry. No doubt Imi, in rage or despair, would destroy to vent her emotions. Destroy him, Codey, Rockman…

Rockman, the ever-vigilant sentry. He observed the battle that raged outside and spoke not a word about it. Was it really right or just to _consider_ using him?

"You should ask," typed Codey.

This peculiar obsession with asking, with talking to other people! Had Codey learned nothing of his father, of the lonely ways of science? Hadn't two months of flight from Imi taught him that much?

It mattered not. Hideki could ignore it, so long as he typed, typed, typed away. This frame bug had come along nicely, and should Imi not see fit to surrender herself after infection, at least they would need to run only until relented or…passed on.

Passed on to rejoin Masuyo.

Any way you diced it, someone was bound to die. Whether it was at Imi's hand or Hideki's own mattered not. He was the hand behind hers, anyway. He bore the responsibility for her killings. To contemplate her murder bothered him, sure, but no more so than her own slaughters did. Why not embrace this control over their fate? Why let Imi choose her victims when he could select the sacrifice instead?

It sounded fine on paper. In truth, he stared at the finished frame bug—complete as far as it could be before testing—and wondered whether he should really ask Rockman to helm this dangerous task or design another navi, recycle one of his other creations, and give it just enough behavior and code to latch onto Imi at first sight. They wouldn't even have to know what they were doing. It'd be easier that way. They wouldn't understand death, couldn't comprehend the blow they'd deal to Imi.

He rejected the idea outright. It would be uncommonly cruel, to create life only to kill it and kill with it, yet so too would it be to ask someone who died to give his life again.

Hideki didn't know Rockman, not really. Sure, he'd pondered the puzzle of a navi born human, patched together thanks to Yuuichirou's ingenuity and desperation, but of Rockman as a _person_, Hideki knew precious little, save for…

"_What am I now? What is there left for me?"_

Medi had opposed the idea so strongly. Whether it had been kind or weak of him, Hideki'd deferred, for the moment, but now Jasmine and Medi were out there, fighting Imi, and he need not obey either of them. He needed to move forward, and he was all too tired of sitting there with his mouse in hand, clicking around.

"Rockman?"

The blue navi flinched and rose to his feet. "Yes, Nakamura-hakase?"

Hideki opened his mouth, but he tapped the spacebar instead. He was going to have to be tricky. It's not every day you have to convince someone to…to…

"Imi left you in a bit of a bind, didn't she?" said Hideki.

Rockman jolted. "Me?"

"Well, how do you feel…?" Hideki suppressed an inward cringe. A psychiatrist he was not. "About that, I mean."

"About…what?"

Right, subtle wasn't the way to go either. "I have a weapon," he told Rockman. "It might be able to stop Imi."

"I've heard that before."

"This one is different," said Hideki. "It uses her abilities against her."

"That's good," said Rockman. "I hope it works."

He what? "Listen, maybe you don't understand, but I need someone—"

"It shouldn't be me. I've done too much; I've tried too much."

"You're the only one who's touched her," said Hideki. "The only one who's still alive, anyway."

"What are you saying? You mean you need…_me_?"

"It would be safer. Not for you, that is, but—"

Rockman's glance turned from open and inquisitive to sharp and cutting. "But?"

"You would be at risk," said Hideki. "To tell the truth, I don't know what Imi would do if she knew she were dying, that by touching you, you'd infected her. See what I'm saying?"

Rockman looked to the blinds again and said nothing.

_Just as well,_ thought Hideki. _I wasn't crazy about the idea myself, and what else is there to say? 'Hey, your girlfriend died in your arms, and now she's rejected you from beyond the grave. Why don't you help me kill all traces of her and my daugh—_navi_ to boot and put your own life on the line to do it?'_

"I'm in."

Hideki and Codey peered from their places at Rockman, who stood tall and unwavering.

"I'll do it," he said. "Whatever it takes to stop Imi-chan and end this for good."

"But why?" asked Codey. "She's my sister; you don't need to threaten her like this!"

"Imi-chan may have her moments when she's sweet and innocent, but she's still a terror on this earth. She's a walking abomination; she's a plague on Roll-chan's memory." Rockman clenched his fist and stared out the window. "This is how I prove them wrong," he said, the lights and flashes of battle and ammo flickering across his face. "I'd die if I had to, just to show them…"

Hideki crept to the window and peeked through the blinds. Imi raised a white blade overhead and pounded it into the dirt, gouging a trench in the soil. The shockwave leveled a man in green armor.

"I'm not like her," said Rockman. "I'm not."

—

"Laika!"

Pride, in Knightman's garb, rushed to his side, but his own armor evaporated. His PET clunked on a rock.

"Can you—"

"AGH!" He clutched his ribs and batted her hands away. "You shouldn't move me!" he admonished her. "Not until you know it's safe."

"I'm not one of your soldiers!" Pride cried. "You don't give me orders, not with your life at stake!"

"Princess—"

"I see how it is."

Above them, Imi hovered at the edge of the trench. Her hand transformed into the spiked ball Pride wielded herself. "I should've realized," she said. "I thought what I saw between you was…familiar."

"Shut up!" said Pride. "Battle Chip—"

"Elec Beam!"

Imi raised the wrecking ball and channeled Thunderman's attack into the weapon. Her attack now fatally charged, she blasted the ball at Pride.

"Down!" Laika yanked her ankle, and they fell beneath a hop of the ball. The chain rattled and shook above them, drawn taut.

"Push her back!" said Raoul. "Attack!"

The Members wasted no time. Nenji fired a volley at Imi's feet, and she reflexively leapt away, towering over Laika instead with sword in hand.

"Careful," she said. "Try that again, and Laika-san could be hurt even worse."

"Oh really?" Pride jabbed a spike of the Royal Wrecking Ball in Imi's gut. "Try this!"

"Oof!" The ball pinned Imi against the wall of the dimensional area, and the spikes turned blue, shredding her data in the wounds.

"This is our chance!" said Raoul. "Everyone, within the perimeter!"

The Members backed off, lobbing shurikens and spraying fire to hold Imi at bay.

"Shoot the barrier three times," Enzan had said, "and I'll know that you're ready to bring it down."

Raoul's electrodes sparked, and a bolt of lightning struck the top of the dome. Once, twice, three times, and the inner area grew from the ground.

"No!" Imi leapt up, over the new threshold.

"Take her down!"

A volley of magnets and needles shoved Imi back behind the wall.

"You've lost this round, Echo!" said Laika, cradling his ribs but rising to his feet. "It's over!"

"It's not at all over," said Imi. "Not for you."

Laika squirmed. Thorny tendrils bound his wrists to his sides. They carried him upward, to the edge of the forming area. Nenji dropped to a knee, eyeing the distance and the angles for a clean shot.

"No, don't!" said Pride, intercepting her comrades. "You'll kill him!"

The advancing area sliced the vines. Laika thudded on the ground beside Imi, clear on the other side of the wall.

"Drop the area, Raoul-san," said Imi. "Drop it, or I'll hurt him."

"Don't do it," groaned Laika. "I forbid it, do you hear me?"

Pride ran to the edge. "But Laika—"

"I said _don't_!" he barked. "Go!"

"Come, princess," said Raoul. "We should go back and consult Enzan."

"But look at him!" said Pride. "Just look!"

Laika clawed at the ground. He rolled to his back and grunted, panting, cringing.

"He's strong," said Imi. "Do you think he's strong enough to play with me, though?"

Pride banged on the wall. "Why you—"

"Come on!" said Raoul, dragging her by the arm. "Let's go."

Seething, Pride walked back with the others, glaring at Imi once more before heading inside.

**3**

CRACK!

Enzan sat back in the glow of the dimensional converters. A grid of holographic screens flickered and jumped from camera to camera. In truth, there was no sound to them, but Enzan imagined each sharp _crack_ as Imi's vines bent and whipped past the sound barrier. He didn't need to hear it to know it was there.

He didn't need to hear to know that Laika wouldn't satisfy her with a scream.

She'd strapped him to a stone spike, bound his hands with more vines. She flogged him—fast at first, but slower, more drawn out as the minutes passed. Perhaps she hoped to magnify his agony; giving him no rhythm, no way to expect the blow would redouble the pain, give him no room to brace himself. Or, maybe she too grew weary of this punishment. Indeed, she called out to them, in the safehouse, and Enzan could read her lips clearly.

"Enzan-san!" she said. "Raoul-san, Pride-san, look at him! Do you see what you're doing? Drop the area; let me in!"

How typical of her, to blame suffering on others. Enzan merely rolled his eyes.

"We can't leave him out there!" said Pride. "He could have a broken rib, a punctured lung! Look how he's breathing; it's not right, I tell you! It's not—"

"It's not our business to trade one life for another," said Enzan.

"So don't trade a life! Give her what she wants: the fix that won't make her hear voices anymore."

"We don't have it yet."

"Don't have it?" said Miyabi. "What's Nakamura been working on while all our skins have been on the line?"

"A weapon," said Enzan.

"Well good!" said Tesla. "Kill the navi and be done with it already!"

"It's not ready."

"Not ready?" said Yuriko. "It's been almost a day since we left Ameroupe; how long—"

"One man," said Enzan, "working for _one_ day."

"He's had two months to put together a fix!" said Tesla. "Don't tell me he's not even considered it before now!"

Enzan looked between his colleagues. Clearly, the tension was getting to them. While their objections were sound, their patience had clearly worn, and he needed to keep them sharp and reliable, not agitated or anxious.

"What is this weapon?" said Charlie. "How can we use it?"

Across the room, Jasmine bowed her head.

"You know, don't you?" Enzan asked her.

"Know what?" asked Dingo.

"The weapon," said Jasmine, "It's—"

"No!" Enzan leapt from his seat and dragged Jasmine upstairs. "Excuse us."

"But Enzan," said Raoul, "what about Laika?"

"We're working on it!" he called back, and he shut the basement door behind them.

"What are you going to do?" asked Jasmine.

"Nothing," said Enzan. "I just don't want to have this conversation public. Had Laika known anything of what we know and Echo touched him, it'd be all over. I don't think she'd take it well if she knew her father was trying to kill her."

Jasmine nodded.

"You can't let him use Rockman, though," said Medi. "I won't allow it!"

"If all goes well, we won't need to," said Enzan. "Netto will be here in what, six hours?"

The pair of girls—operator and navi—nodded.

"Then that's our bet." Enzan peeked through the blinds, and Laika bore blow after blow from Imi's improved whip. "I just hope," said Enzan, "that Laika's strong enough to hold out."

—

In the vast, empty plane of cyberspace, a Mettool hobbled about, dragging its pick in the floor. It was oblivious yet wondering. What was it doing there? What was its purpose? Who summoned it to existence, and what might they tell it to do? With no directive to guide it, the Mettool simply walked along. A lack of objective was…unsettling, to say the least. Without an outside goal, the Mettool turned to its own programming and found little. Obviously it was meant to take orders, and when lacking that, it sought them out, but when that still turned up nothing, the Mettool rested the pick on the lip of its helmet and stood…

…and waited…

…and listened.

It was natural to be still. Motion cost computational resources—"energy," if one must call it that. Yet if not moving were so natural, why did its hand twitch? Why did its feet wiggle and twist? The tiny Mettool quelled these tics, but new ones sprouted to replace them. Its eyes wandered and spun; the pick flailed and waved. The Mettool teetered and rolled on its back, and soon enough, it felt lighter, unburdened. Its arms and legs dissolved before its eyes, and then, for but an instant, it was alive yet shapeless. It had presence and existence, but without form and body to affect the outside, was it really there at all? Or was it a ghost, a specter?

These feelings faded quickly, however, and the Mettool, lacking any reason to keep its mind intact, opted to let itself scatter and dissolve, too.

"It's…impressive," said Rockman.

'_It's disturbing!'_ said Netto.

"That," said Hideki, "was a lot faster than the version I would use on Imi, but in principle, I'd say the algorithm is sound. It's just the time constants we need to worry about."

"How so?" asked Rockman.

"I can anticipate Imi will heal or try to heal against anything we infect her with," said Hideki. "This bug will start damaging her after a time and slowly at first, so she may not notice. The progression will accelerate, however, and even if she can stave it off, it will break her down faster and faster, until she can no longer keep up. It's aggressive."

"You sound proud of yourself, Papa," said Codey.

Hideki squirmed. "Imi should realize at some point that she can't fight it herself. She'll need help, and without any silly preconditions, either. We can only hope by that point, she won't be able to hurt anyone but still have the ability, the capacity, to ask for help."

'_And what if she doesn't?'_ said Netto.

"What if she doesn't?" asked Rockman. "Doesn't ask for help, I mean."

"She'd…well, you saw," said Hideki. "I don't have to spell that out, do I?"

'_And what about you, then?'_

"What about me?" asked Rockman. "Is there a cure?"

"He's right, Papa," said Codey. "If you do this, there can't be a cure yet. Onee-san might try to find it. The only cure—"

"Would have to be up here," said Hideki, tapping his skull.

Rockman frowned. "Then if she touches you—"

"It's over," said Hideki. "But we already knew that." Hideki yawned and stretched. "Gods, what time is it? Actually, wait, don't answer that. Is it evening or morning?"

"Morning, Papa," said Codey.

"Morning." He chuckled. "Oh, joy for morning."

"What do you think will happen," said Rockman, "if I take the bug and infect Imi-chan?"

Hideki raised an eyebrow. "You want my honest opinion?"

"Papa!" chided Codey.

"If she can read your mind by touching you," he said, "then she should kill you on the spot."

'_Do you hear that? She'll kill you!'_

Knock-knock. "Nakamura-hakase." Enzan ducked into the bedroom. "Can I borrow Rockman for a moment?"

"Fine, fine," said Hideki, rubbing his forehead. "I need to do some crunching on timeframes anyway."

Satisfied, Enzan shined the laser light on the laptop's plug-in port, and Rockman followed the beam back to Enzan's PET. Enzan shut the door behind them, eyeing both sides of the hallway.

"What is it, Blues?" said Rockman. "Enzan?"

"We've been following Nakamura-hakase's plan," said Blues. "Enzan-sama and I are…not pleased."

"But I'm willing! Imi-chan must be stopped; we all know that. We—"

"We need another option," said Enzan. "We need to buy some time. I don't like this plan one bit. It's dangerous, and it could easily put you and anyone Echo comes in contact with at extreme risk."

"In a few hours, Netto-san will arrive in Namaste," said Blues, "and Echo doesn't know that, does she?"

"She might expect it," said Rockman, "but Imi-chan would have no way of knowing when he's coming."

Enzan smirked. "But you do, and we can use that. If you and Netto can attack her from the outside, it could be just the distraction we need."

"Distraction for what? To rescue Laika?"

"And to escape," said Enzan. "Buy more time to get a real answer, and—" He stopped. "In fact, let's get him out here, see what he has to say for himself." Knock again. "Nakamura-hakase, can I have word now?"

"Fine, fine," said the doctor.

"Out here," said Enzan.

"Fine."

'_I want to talk about this, nii-san.'_

Talk, huh? Rockman wasn't opposed to talking, and after Enzan's proposition, he wanted to do some thinking of his own anyway. "Ah, Enzan? Could you send me back?"

"Of course." Enzan dropped Rockman off in the laptop again and took Hideki outside, shutting the door behind them.

Codey looked on this spectacle in wonder. "What's going on?"

"A lot," said Rockman. "A whole lot."

Such was the way of life since Imi came along, wasn't it? Things happened; people acted with and against each other, and no one was unaffected. Rockman saw the strain in their faces: Medi's lips pressed together in panic, and at the time, he didn't know why.

'_It was because of you.'_

So it was, but she wasn't the only one. Several times that hour, Pride had paced the halls, barging into the various rooms to get a new angle on the torture outside, not that the views would be substantially different, yet still she shook as if each blow struck her too. It made her face tense and hard, not at all like the strong, friendly princess he and Netto knew.

'_So that's why you want to do it?'_

It was. Roll had been right, of course. Drawing out this business with Imi only perpetuated suffering, some of which he, Rockman, had himself caused. Could Glyde ever forgive him for his brazen attack? Could Netto forget that his older brother abandoned him?

'_I won't forget, but…you're sorry, aren't you? For now, that's enough.'_

No, hardly enough. Imi was sorry, too. He saw that in her mind, the regret of a psychopath. It was not merely enough to be "sorry"; he had to do more.

"Now listen," said Enzan, his voice penetrating the wooden door, "I didn't bring you here to wallow in your own sorrows. You need to fix the navi you made."

"I told you I don't know—"

"I don't care how long it takes! It will only take longer when you spend your time thinking of ways to kill her."

"You said that was a viable solution!"

"Well now it isn't! A man's hurt out there—he could be dying—and your refusal to fix this problem _you made_ is the reason he's there!"

"You don't get it, do you?" said Hideki. "I don't make healthy navis, all right? I make broken navis. I focus on the new trick they're supposed to do and drop a semicolon here, a parenthesis there…I made her wrong once; what makes you think I won't do it again?"

"You told me you could do it," said Enzan. " 'Given a few days…' Isn't that what you said?"

"Probably!" Hideki sighed. "I don't know. Maybe if you glued me to the chair and held my eyelids open. You know what I see when I look at that code? I see _her_, plain as day, like when I was making her! And when I see her, I don't see anything wrong! She's perfect; she was _supposed_ to be perfect. Have you ever tasted perfection, boy?"

"This isn't about your abilities as a scientist, a designer, or—"

"How do you know that whatever I try won't make her worse? How? Can you tell me?"

A beat.

"You know, if I could get away with it, I'd lower the dimensional area right now and let her drain your memories from your body. Echo would at least be honest and say that you're a scared little man before she kills you."

Heavy footsteps tracked away, and there was a light thud on the door.

"Nakamura-hakase is really stubborn, isn't he," said Rockman.

"Not stubborn," said Codey. "Afraid, just like he said, of onee-san…and of me."

"Why should he be afraid of you?" asked Rockman.

"He's always wondered if what happened to onee-san could happen to me."

"I don't think that's possible. You don't have the powers Imi-chan has. She was nice, but those abilities got the better of her."

Codey looked up to the taller navi, curious. "You like onee-san?"

"I said she was nice; I didn't say—"

"You don't like her then."

Rockman shook his head firmly. "I don't think I can ever forgive her, not really, not after she killed Roll-chan. Imi-chan is shameless, even though she pretends—_thinks_—she isn't. What she's doing to Laika out there proves that."

"And since Papa can't find it in him to help her, you would destroy her because you hate her."

"_Hate_ is a strong word, but…yes."

"But why should you do it? Why should you risk your own life?"

'_He shouldn't,'_ said Netto.

"Because I don't want to be like her," said Rockman. "Imi-chan has always been too scared to die or give up. She wants Nakamura-hakase—she wants her father—too badly, but sometimes…I think you have to realize when the people you care about are too far away from you."

"Like your brother?"

'_It's not so, nii-san! It isn't!'_

"It is, Netto-kun," Rockman answered aloud. "You're just too nice to admit it."

'_You don't need to die for me to forgive you!'_

"Maybe I need to so I can forgive myself then."

Netto's will to protest fragmented. All he could do was shake his head and think, _'No, no, no!'_

"I can see you're trying," said Codey.

"Trying? To do what?"

"To be…noble? I think that's the word. You're trying, but you're not."

"What do you mean? I—"

"You still hate onee-san," said Codey. "Papa still fears her. No one will try to help her because they love her."

"You think she deserves love after what she's done?" said Rockman.

"Doesn't everyone?" said Codey. "Even just a little bit?"

Rockman sat on the desk and pondered this remark. Perhaps love was at the root of this ordeal. Had he shown Roll love, would she be dead now? Had Imi's father loved her, he would never have abandoned her, left her to the streets to touch an unsuspecting navi and hear voices in her mind. Without love, there was tragedy, and while it was attractive to hate Imi for her deeds, it made little sense to deny it, either: she must feel like no one cares for her anymore, and given that, who wouldn't be despondent? Who wouldn't seek the last connection they had to those feelings?

But none of that excused her actions. She still hurt; she still killed (or tried to). She inflicted her own pain on others. It was detestable, it was abhorrent, and Rockman would stop it. Let others say he did the same, but time would prove them wrong: he wasn't like her, not one bit. He could stop when she couldn't. He could hear the echoes, the drowning hum of the net, and deny their hold over him! He would not be slave to outside influences or inner demons. He knew when to put down, when to lie back and let his eyelids droop.

He knew when to sleep, and soundly too. Unlike Imi, he could give it a rest.

Codey waved a hand over Rockman's face, but the blue navi stared into space under half-closed eyes. The ambient hum rattled in his ears, but Codey was blissfully immune to its effects. He modulated the sound himself, after all, had used it to disable navis at the traffic ministry oh-so-long ago. He was grateful that Rockman succumbed to it as well.

_Nobody helps onee-san. Papa's too afraid; everyone else despises her._

But it would be foolish to dismiss her abilities, and Codey had no illusions about her state of mind, either: he himself rebuked her for chasing after Meiru rather than rescue him from the Net Saviors' custody. She wasn't innocent, but she deserved more than her father or these people would offer her.

Thus, Codey dug into the laptop's files. In many ways, he was a better programmer than his father; he worked faster—orders of magnitude faster. Though he didn't understand Imi's code, large sections of it formed his own, and that was a start. If Papa just couldn't bring himself to cure her, then Codey would. This much he swore.

But, should his vow fail…

Codey pulled up the frame bug—manifest as a glowing blue orb in the cyberworld—and looked to the side, where Rockman still sat, dazed.

_You still hate her, too. I know you feel this is important, but…I can't let you be involved._

Yet as he crushed it in his palm, Codey hesitated. Imi was still too dangerous, and to trust Papa…she might need a push. He couldn't delete this program just yet. He might need it. _They_ might need it.

After a fashion, the orb dissipated. Codey held his hands in front of him, but they remained steady and sure, despite his nervousness.

_Nothing yet. Probably nothing for a while._

Satisfied, he combed through his sister's code, hoping to cure her before it was too late, for him and for her.

**4**

CRACK!

The soldier of Sharo grimaced, and blood dripped from his bare back over his belt and onto the ground.

"Don't you grow tired of this, Laika-san?" asked Imi.

"It's not stressful…for me…at all." He panted. "I should think you'd get weary of hitting me so."

"I could hit you worse, but then that might kill you, and you're not worth much dead."

He laughed. "I've endured worse than you! Back in Tsiveria they flogged us with ice-laden whips! Naked! In a blizzard! With vodka!"

"To rub on the cuts or to drink?"

"Both!"

Imi rolled her eyes. This sparring with Laika had proved utterly _fascinating_ for the last few hours, but now her patience was wearing thin. Enzan and the others had yet to take her bait, despite how she rough-housed Laika. What more could she do without murdering him outright?

Laika chuckled, the euphoria from a few seconds without a blow on his back. "What's the matter, Echo? Reality sunk into your head yet?"

Sadly, yes, and it was sinking all too quickly. Taking Laika was a mistake: die-hard soldier would never acquiesce to her. Short of touching him and feeding agony directly to his mind, she had no power over him, even as she tied him to the stone spike. He was in control, not her, and if she pushed any harder, he would snap for good and be little more than an inanimate hunk of meat. Utterly worthless, even at the butcher's.

She couldn't just kill him, for Enzan would have no chance to react. She needed a threat—some outside source that she had no control over. That would stir Enzan to action; that would compel him to lower the barrier and let her inside, no matter what he wanted.

The outer area cycled, dissipating from the sky and leaving only the inner one to guard the safehouse.

"Come, Laika-san," said Imi. "We're going to visit your friends."

"Wha—agh!" He sagged against the spike; the vines no longer supported him. A new set bound him and carried him to the edge of the inner barrier, where Imi tapped her foot on the dirt.

"They can crush me between the walls," said Imi, "and you along with me."

—

"Enzan! Do you see this?"

He gulped. "Yeah, I see it!" Seeing was one thing; doing was another. It was one thing to bluff out Imi and refuse her demands. He had no reason to take her threats seriously, and she knew it. But this…it was like she'd gone to the corner store and bout the Net Savior rule book!

"Enzan—"

"Get everybody ready!" he told Pride. "I've got to signal the others!"

If she affirmed his command, he didn't see it. Enzan barged downstairs to the generators, sat at a console, and typed out a message to the orbital generator.

"Message begins. Delay next activation until further notice. Message ends."

On the bank of cameras, a patterned set of flashes shone from off-screen. He could only hope the operators in orbit weren't sleeping on the job.

He checked the timer on the safehouse's generators.

"7:06."

He breathed a sigh of relief. Staggering the areas had bought them some time, but now it woefully insufficient. Seven minutes to make a plan. Seven crummy minutes…

Enzan raced back upstairs. He needed to see Nakamura.

—

"No!"

Hideki waved his hands and shook the screen. It was unfathomable, impossible! He took his eyes off those files for just a couple hours, humoring Enzan with the idea of fixing Imi, but it was _temporary_. Just a little time to make them both sleep better that night. Why on earth would his files _disappear_ when he wasn't looking? It wasn't…it couldn't…

"Papa, you don't understand; it's—"

"Codey, you've been very helpful," said Hideki, "but unless you can make files reappear out of thin air—"

"I took them."

Hideki gawked. "You did what?"

"I took the frame bug," said Codey. "I erased it."

"You erased it?" cried Rockman. "That was our only chance; that was—"

Hideki glared at Rockman, silencing him. Codey was his navi, not Rockman's, and Hideki would be the one to discipline him. "Codey, we've been working on Imi for hours, and you just saw fit to say this _now_?"

"If we find a way to fix onee-san, we won't need it!" said Codey. "Look at what we've done together since you started really working on her. We found the memory locations where onee-san stores the data she copies. If we could just delete those memories—"

"Easier said," noted Hideki. "Memory is associative. The information isn't contiguous anymore."

"But still, it's a start," said Codey. "It's—"

"Not enough for now," said Hideki. "Imi is coming, and we have nothing!"

"You have _nothing_?"

All eyes turned to Enzan, who paled in the doorway.

"It's so," said Hideki. "Codey destroyed the frame bug."

"Destroyed!"

"That's not true." Codey stood up and held out his palms.

"What—"

"Just look, Papa."

Hideki leaned forward, squinting. The navi's plain and smooth hands wavered slightly, though his muscles tensed to control the vibration.

"You…you absorbed it!" said Hideki. "You infected yourself!"

"You were wrong when you said onee-san would only touch Rockman," said Codey. "She trusts me, and I could touch her before she even realizes."

"That's insanity!" said Hideki. "You'll die before—"

"I have about a day," said Codey. "Maybe less. I programmed it in myself before I took it."

"That's _still_ insanity!" said Hideki. "What if—"

Codey locked eyes with his father. "You won't let me die, will you, Papa?"

Hideki sank in his seat, his stomach churning.

"I hate to break this up," said Enzan, "but I have _five minutes_ to do something about your daughter. Give me something to work with."

The scientist threw his hands to the air. "Codey?"

"There's still so much more we could do, Papa," said the boy. "Please, we need more time."

Hideki pushed the blinds apart and looked outside. "Our window's shrinking a bit fast, Codey."

"Shrinking…" Enzan rubbed his chin. "Blues?"

"It could work," said his navi. "I'd say it could buy a six or seven cycles."

Enzan nodded. "It's hours instead of minutes; I'll take it. Nakamura-hakase, if we're right, you have an hour and a half. Use it."

Hideki nodded weakly, and Enzan jogged back downstairs, leaving the scientist to his work.

"I'm sorry, Papa," said Codey. "I really thought we could help onee-san together."

Hideki sat down and drummed his fingers on the desk. "No," he said. "Don't be sorry. I shouldn't be surprised. Imi managed to evolve beyond her programming, what I needed her to do. Now, so have you."

Codey averted his gaze.

"So," said Hideki, "back to work then?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Maybe," said Codey. "If we are running out of time, though, maybe we shouldn't try to fix her."

"Shouldn't—"

"At least," said the boy, "not all the way. We could just…give her a gift."

As the Nakamuras got to work once more, a blue navi sat on the desk's corner, staring.

—

"He wanted it."

Meiru caught a tipping glass. The nose of the plane dipped, and Meiru secured the tray table. A flight attendant passed by, collecting trash from the passengers.

"What do you mean?" asked Meiru. "How could he want—"

"I can't explain it," said Netto. "He just did. One second he was wide awake, sure that he could make up for everything he'd done, and then he woke up, and Codey…"

"Took it all away."

Netto nodded. He closed his eyes and sighed, not sleepy but tired, all the same.

_The world doesn't make sense to them anymore._ Though it saddened her, Meiru could take small comfort in this development. Rockman was still in no state of mind to fight—she could read that all over Netto's face—and so her decision had been sound. She patted the hidden pocket in her purse, where she'd hidden the Synchro Chip. If Rockman had been willing to die to earn redemption, there was no telling what he'd do in Cross Fusion with Netto. It was simply too much of a risk.

"Enzan's back."

Netto's observation disrupted her thoughts. "He is?"

"They're talking now. Enzan says he's having to shrink the dimensional area every fifteen minutes to keep Imi out, and the one in space—it's not as accurate, so they're giving up a lot of ground. We might get there in time; we might not."

Meiru's heart skipped a beat. While she still hoped to catch Rockman and bring him back to Japan, spare him and Netto the terrors of their link, she'd also wondered…wouldn't it be better if they were too late, if Enzan and the others could engineer an escape before she and Netto arrived at all? Then no one would have to know her betrayal, and all would be right with the world.

"They'll just need a distraction to save Laika," said Netto. "Shouldn't be too hard, right?"

"No, no," said Meiru. "Not hard."

The cabin tilted slightly as the plane made a right turn. Meiru grabbed her purse instinctively, to keep it from tipping over into Netto's lap, but the rigid features of the Synchro Chip bulged against the wall and caught her fingers.

_If they need a distraction to save Laika…_

"Something wrong, Meiru?"

She tightened her grip on the strap and placed the purse in her lap. "Nothing," she said. "Nothing at all."

Far below, the lights of the city broke through the clouds and beckoned them to ground.

**5**

Ground.

Ground was small and shrinking. Every fifteen minutes, the dimensional area receded, and another took its place, but the successors were smaller still. Enzan forfeited ground to Imi, and after but an hour and change, she was in spitting distance of the patio.

Ground was cramped and close. Raoul, Pride, and the other Net Saviors crammed themselves in the main room, watching, lying in wait. This time, there would be no more delays. They would go to fight, to reclaim lost lands from Imi. They would fight not to buy time for themselves but for others.

Ground was near and damp and cool. It surrounded the basement of the safehouse, insulated the inhabitants from the weather and elements. It gave comfort to Enzan, Hideki, and Codey, for with solid earth to protect them, they could feel safe and go forward with their plan.

Ground was soft yet rocky, and on this uncertain battlefield, full of contradiction, Rockman dreamed of facing Imi again. There would be no need for Codey and Nakamura's deception if he and Netto dispatched of her. Only then could he do right by Roll, and he hoped—prayed—that no one would take away this chance, his last chance.

But not far from the house in the wilderness, a lone jeep raced against the dawn, and one of its occupants pondered exactly that.

"Netto?"

The boy jerked in his seat. "Sorry, what?"

"You were staring."

"Where?"

Meiru pointed at the window and the dim slope of the mountain. "Out there."

"We were talking."

"Ah."

He went quiet again. That happened a lot. All during the flight and now on the road—it was impossible to have a conversation with him unless Rockman was sleeping.

"Do you trust him?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"You're going to fight Imi, right?" said Meiru. "Do you trust him…in battle?"

"Absolutely!" he said, without hesitation. "He's my brother."

"Netto…"

"Would it be so wrong if we stopped her for good?"

"It depends on why you do it," said Meiru.

He looked at her curiously then nodded his assent.

"What if he ran away again?" she asked him. "If Imi escaped, would he try to go after her?"

"I don't know, but I'm afraid he might, you know? I don't want him to go again, and he says he won't, but…"

Meiru let the topic pass. Netto wasn't about to speak ill of Rockman, surely not with their link still intact and active. Whether this was fear or faith Meiru couldn't say, but talking with Netto had reinforced her decision. She knew what she had to do now, and she felt no regret for it.

She rummaged through her purse and slipped the piece of molded blue metal into her palm.

The lonely chateaux in the jungle shone like an actor in the spotlight. The car stopped at the crux of a bend, and Netto and Meiru hiked over root and vine, weaving through the trees.

"Why don't they—"

"Shh!" said Netto. "It's all part of the plan."

He led her by the hand to the tree line, and there, they crouched amongst the brush. Imi sat on the dirt, legs crossed, and Laika sagged against his thorny prison.

A ting. Sound and light. A holographic shape formed over Netto's PET. Rockman looked down, at the ground. "I'm home, Netto-kun."

A two-dimensional screen projected itself in the air. "Netto," said Enzan, "Rockman's returned safely?"

"Yes, he's just fine."

"Good. I'll signal the satellite; the area goes up in one minute. Ready?"

"Ready," said the brothers Hikari.

"Ah, Enzan," Meiru interrupted. "Can I—?"

"I'm sorry. I need to close this signal down, or else Echo may discover it and piggyback inside. Good luck, Netto. See you soon."

"But—"

Static. Netto turned to his friend. "What were you going to say?"

"Wasn't important."

Wasn't important, yet she curled her fingers and tangled them together. If she could pace without making a sound, she would. The beacon light Enzan used to communicate taunted her; its flashes heralded the coming battle.

"You're nervous," said Netto.

"Yes."

"If you want, you can go back to the car. It should be outside the perimeter when Enzan—"

She lowered her hands to her sides and made two fists—one empty, the other around a now-sweaty chip. "I'm staying right here."

"I don't want you getting hurt."

"So why didn't you say something before?"

Netto was silent, and it was just as well. The seconds ticked off, and Meiru saw her plan unfold. Netto would try to cross-fuse with Rockman immediately, discover the chip was a fake before Imi even caught wind of them. Then, no matter how the battle went, Rockman would stay for good, and they could go home.

She wanted to be home. She dreamed of walking to school, nudging him in class when he dozed. Of chatting over lunch while their navis watched battles at the coliseum in Internet City. The four of them together—she and Netto, Rockman…

…and Roll.

_I guess few things will be the same when we go home._

The dimensional area rose, and it spread over Netto and Meiru, enveloping them in the dome. Netto strode forward, clear of the brush.

"What are you—"

"They need a distraction," he said. "I'm doing that."

"But—"

"You should stay back."

But she didn't. She trailed him as he walked to the safehouse, approached the inner perimeter. Imi had her back turned, but Laika ever-weary, caught a brief glimpse. Netto nodded to him and inhaled.

"Imi!"

She whirled, aghast. "Netto-san! What—what are you—" She babbled, flustered, then pointed her sword at her hostage. "What do you want?"

"Nakamura-hakase has a weapon," he said. "It will kill you. If you try to go in there now, he will use it. Rockman's told me so."

_What is he thinking? Telling her—_

"You're lying," said Imi. "Papa wouldn't kill me. He couldn't."

"I'm not here to fight you," said Netto. "Look at me: would I lie?"

"You would if you had to," she said. "Rockman-san's done more than I ever thought he would, than _you_ ever thought he would, hasn't he?"

Netto clenched his teeth. "I'm warning you. I've come a long way to get my brother back."

"But you don't want to fight, do you?" said Imi. "He scares you. I'm not surprised; he scares me too now."

"I'm not afraid," said Netto, "but you should be." He held the Synchro Chip between his fingers, but Imi shook her head.

"Sorry."

A stray vine rocketed toward him!

"No you don't!" Meiru slotted in a chip, and a white barrier guarded them both. The vine reflected off the Dream Aura and scattered.

"Thanks, Meiru," said her friend.

"But Netto—"

"Synchro Chip, slot-in!"

And the three of them stood and waited.

—

"Something's wrong," said Raoul. "Enzan!"

"He isn't in Cross Fusion yet?"

"No!"

Enzan jogged to the blinds, and sure enough, Netto, Meiru, and Imi were arguing, but Netto was still not ready for battle. To any of Imi's weapons, he would be a squishy sack of flesh, not at all difficult to pop.

"You've got to get out there," said Enzan. "Everyone! Get ready!"

"But Laika—"

"Princess, there are now _three_ people in Echo's grasp," said Enzan. "We need to move while there's still confusion." He ran back to the staircase. "Nakamura-hakase! Lower the area!"

—

"Are you sure this is what you want to do, Codey?"

The boy tugged on his black shorts and ruffled his hair. He pushed on a support beam and nodded. "I'm sure."

"Do you…think it will work?" asked Hideki.

The boy nodded again, marveling at his effect on the real world, how it responded to his presence, his fingers. "There's no substitute for being able to touch something, is there?"

A voice called to them from above. "Nakamura-hakase! Lower the area!"

"Understood!" Hideki hunched over the keyboard and tapped the hard return. The two blue converters powered down, and their blue glow faded. "It's all in your hands now, Codey. You know what to do?"

"Of course."

"Hakase! We need to go, quickly!"

"Right!" Hideki rose. "Well, Codey—"

The boy wrapped his arms around his father's legs, rested his head on the man's knee. "Goodbye, Papa."

"But, but, it's not—"

"I love you."

Hideki gulped and sighed. He patted the boy on the shoulder. "I promise I won't rest until—"

"You need rest."

"Well…granted. But aside from that, if you can bring Imi back with you, I'll have a cure ready. I promise you."

"I know you will, Papa."

At that, father and son broke their embrace. Nakamura Hideki ascended the stairs, and only once did he look back.

—

Netto frowned and tapped on the PET screen. "I don't understand…"

"I'm sorry."

Imi and Netto looked back, toward Meiru.

"Your father asked me to," she explained. "He wanted me to switch the chips, so Rockman wouldn't get away again…"

The boy gawked. "You—you could've _told_ me!"

"Could I?" Her gaze was firm and steady. "You know I couldn't have. Rockman would know."

"First Codey and now you, Meiru-chan!" said Rockman. "Why won't anyone give me a chance to make up for what's happened?"

"Because you wouldn't," said Meiru. "Netto understands this, don't you?"

He balked for a moment, choked on his words. "I…"

In the background, the inner dimensional area fell, exposing the safehouse.

"This is it," said Imi. "Papa!"

She bolted for the entrance, but the Cross Fusion Members lined up in opposition to her, headed by Raoul and Pride.

"So this is how it is." She backed up, using Laika as a shield. "Fine. Dare any of you attack me while Laika-san—"

Poof! In a flash of negative colors, she vanished.

"She'll be disoriented!" said Meiru, retrieving the spent Area Steal chip from the Battle Chip Gate. "Hurry!"

Pride leapt from the patio and hacked the vines away. "Laika? How do you feel?"

"I'll manage," he said gruffly, but when he tried to walk under his own power, his knees gave out. Pride slung his arm over her shoulders and lifted him by the waist.

"There! Northwest!"

Imi regained her bearings, in part thanks to R Gyroman's cry. Laika might be out of her reach, but the way was clear—into the safehouse, with her father…

She leapt to the rooftop and punched a hole in the shingles. "Try to stop me now, Raoul-san!"

"Why should we stop you?" he said. "You're right where we need you!"

To her horror, the inner area reestablished itself, trapping them all in a narrow perimeter around the household.

Not narrow enough, however, for to the east, in the shade of dawn, two figures scampered across the compound. A flash of light, and the outer area receded, clearing the way to the caravan and freedom.

"No…" She hopped down, dashed to the edge of the barrier, but her pleas were futile. "Papa! How can you—you can't do this to me! Not again!"

But the engine revved and drowned out her cries. The car motored into the sunrise and waited not for her at all.

_He left me behind; he did it again._

He knew she was out there—he could see for himself—and still he rejected her! He refused to meet her, to speak with her! What if he meant what he said? What if he never wanted to see her again?

"Echo."

She turned. The Cross Fusion Members encircled her.

"Why are you still here?" she said.

Raoul only stared her down. The others, too—their eyes were hard but unwavering. They poised themselves to strike but hesitated, waiting on a hair-trigger, watching for the slightest move.

That's right. They were enemies. She was foe to them, and they—they'd stood in her way, distracted her just long enough for Enzan and Papa to make a break for it. They were the ones who kept Imi and her father apart. They'd pressured him to stay silent and hidden. They _forced_ him to this place, even if only with the fear that she might come for him, and now they proposed to keep her here, contained within one dimensional area after another, until Papa was a thousand miles away? These people—these arrogant, self-righteous _people_—conspired to keep a girl from her father! They knew no shame, no decency!

Nor would they know unless she taught them. Perhaps in the maw of death itself they would hear the same whispers she listened to, the ones that urged her to lash out and kill.

The ground rumbled, and Imi coiled her fingers.

—

"What's going on? What's happening?"

Shirtless and cold, Laika sat up and blinked, but the welts on his back ached and throbbed, and he lay down on bare dirt, despite his frustration.

"It's the distraction," said Netto. "The longer we can keep Imi here…"

They longer they kept her there, the more damage she would do. Sure, it would give Enzan and Nakamura more of a head start, but Imi hacked and jabbed and raised mazes and pillars from the earth. A rock slide buried Yuriko, and Imi borrowed one of her needles to slash Nenji's gut.

"Why aren't you out there?" said Laika. "Go! Fight!"

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

"Because of her!" An angry finger pointed at Meiru, but in light of her hurt expression, he retracted it. "Sorry."

"Don't be." She took his hand, and between his thumb and forefinger, he felt warm metal. "It's the real one," said Meiru. "If you trust him, if you trust yourself…"

Netto eagerly took her up on the offer and slotted the chip in without hesitation.

'_But Netto-kun—'_

_I'm in control this time, nii-san. Is that clear?_

The elder brother didn't answer, but his assent Netto took for granted. The pair rushed into combat, buster at the ready…

…and one by one the Members fell like dominoes. Imi batted them around like softballs in fielding practice. She tangled Tesla in her vines and slung her about, bludgeoning Charlie with her weight. She forced Miyabi to fight his own images and crippled him with a surprise blow to the back. The flat of his own tomahawk blindsided Dingo, and Imi drained the life from Jasmine to heal back her wounds.

As his comrades fell around him, Netto wished for faith in himself and his brother, but Imi's bolts and swipes overloaded his senses and flooded his mind—their mind—with pain, and Netto held back. He maintained control, and Rockman ceded it to him. He held out to the end, for he was the last to give in. He lay face-down on the cleared jungle floor, closed his eyes, and slept.

'_If you'd let go—'_

_But I didn't, and you didn't try to take it, either._

'_No.'_

_That's all that matters._

—

They kept the generators downstairs. She was sure of this. Though she counted the faces outside, she was still wary. There could be someone or something dangerous inside.

Like her.

She seethed as she walked, and the air escaped her mouth through clenched teeth. It was all she could do not to torture them, murder them. The choir demanded it, clamored for it. What did they see in her when she committed such atrocities? Was it some small measure of forgiveness for their sins? Did they want her to be the Devil, so they could escape being him themselves?

It was these times Imi was grateful for Masuyo and Roll. They and they alone had kept her from spilling blood on her sword. Had neither of them spoken to her—nay, _yelled_ to silence the choir—this place would be a grave. Better, perhaps, for her to find Papa, for these people (she spat the word; she could still hardly think they deserved it) blocked her, repelled her, but it'd be worse to win him over. Papa still clung to the usual sense of right and wrong, or at least he tried. It'd always been difficult to make him see it her way. One touch could change that. One touch—

"Onee-san?"

She alighted the staircase, and the boy with a brown bowl cut emerged from the shadows.

"Codey-kun!" Imi cried. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you with Papa? I saw him leave—"

"I wanted to stay behind," he said. "I knew you'd come here. Destroy the generators and you could go find him. That's why I needed to be here."

"But what for? What could make Papa let you stay?"

"I have a gift," he explained. "From Papa."

"A gift? What kind of—"

All too abruptly, Codey hugged his sister, glomped her from behind.

"No! Codey-kun, you can't! I'll have to…" She listened. "I'll have to…"

The choir of souls murmured to her. Roll and Masuyo, too, were watching in quiet shock, but there was no third councilor to join them. Imi knew Codey now, knew him better than anyone else could—his body, his capabilities—but something remained elusive to her. Something which she should copy easily was blocked off, inaccessible. She pushed on this wall, but it held firm.

"It was the best thing we could think of," said Codey. "You…didn't exactly give us a lot of time."

"I don't hear you."

"You won't."

Imi whirled, facing him. "Ever?"

"Never ever."

Still, Imi's fingers trembled. She rested her palms on his shoulders, and her hands ran down his arms, just to be sure.

"It's true…" Sobs interspersed her words, but she made no effort to wipe the tears away. "I can touch you, but I don't hear you. I can touch someone, and Papa…Papa can fix me!"

Imi embraced her brother again, and she cried and laughed and squeezed him. No way she would let him go—the first person she could touch without fear of his voice mocking her, his soul wandering the choir. Her joy erased all prior hatreds and fears. Today, she was one step closer to redemption.

And Codey smiled for his sister, warmly returned her embrace, for he knew she needed it. It had been his idea, not their father's, to grant her this fleeting gift, and he hoped she'd enjoy it to the fullest.

Yet for but a moment, he felt light and empty, as if floating in a black sea. His grip wavered; his arms and legs were like a doll's—they shut out his commands. The feeling quickly passed, however, and younger brother comforted older sister in the cold, damp safehouse in Namaste.


	22. Resurrection and Life

**Chapter Nineteen: Resurrection and Life**

The morning air was still and cool, and Nakamura Hideki shivered and rubbed his arms. He couldn't blame his reaction wholly on the weather, however; he _chose_ to leave the thermostat low. Every zenny saved on heating he could spend on Masuyo, extend her life another hour or minute. That was worth any cost.

And besides, even if the furnace roasted the house to 30 degrees Centigrade, he'd tremble anyway. He had something to give his daughter, and he prayed she'd like it.

He tiptoed upstairs and hovered outside her room. Masuyo breathed lightly, sound asleep and unaware of his presence. Thus, he crept in, laid the green and white metal case on her desk, and snuck out again. He shut the door to all but a crack and peeked inside with one eye.

"Masuyo-chan?" The PET projected an image, a holographic representation of a little girl, clad in a white skirt. Thin strips of green marked the tops of her boots and gloves, and a tall, conical hat sat atop her head.

"Good morning, Masuyo-chan! It's time to wake up!"

In the bed, the human girl stirred. She rubbed her dark eyes and untangled the silver streaks in her black hair. "Who is that?" she said. "Who are you?"

The projection hopped across the desk and bowed. "I'm Imi!"

"You're a navi?"

"That's right! Your father programmed me for you."

"Papa did?" Masuyo rolled out of bed and rubbed her head. She knelt beside the desk, at eye level with Imi. "So you're what he's been working on," she said with a clever grin. "For me."

"Papa hoped we could be friends," said Imi. "I mean, I know I look young—"

"And I'm young to have a navi at all."

"But I can do a lot of things, I promise!"

"Things like what?"

"You'll see," said Imi coyly. "Papa said they'll make you smile. He said you don't get to smile as much as you used to."

Masuyo looked dour for a moment. "I guess that's true."

Imi cocked her head.

"But I'm sure we can be friends," Masuyo assured her. "Just wait 'til I show everyone at school! Nobody in my class has a PET yet!"

"Speaking of school," said Imi, "your father said you'd probably be running late."

Masuyo checked the clock on the wall and gasped. "Oh, you're right! I can't be late again; I'll get in so much trouble!" Her eyes turned to the door and the small angle it made with the hinge. "If only _someone_ would come in and wake me up on time!"

Busted. The game was up. "That's what Imi's for!" said Hideki, pushing the door open.

"Then why didn't you give her to me sooner?"

"I had some finishing touches to make!"

Masuyo rolled her eyes. "Yes, Papa."

"Don't tell me you don't like her."

She looked between them and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I like Imi just fine," she said, holding the PET to her heart. "Now you, on the other hand…"

"Is that any way to speak to your father?"

"Shoo," said Masuyo. "I need to get ready for school."

"All right, all right," said Hideki, and he eased his way out. Though his daughter might fancy herself hard to please, he could see plainly enough she was thrilled with Imi. The giggles they shared when he was gone confirmed that much. He couldn't be mad that she'd lightly forced him out, either; it meant she'd not yet lost hope, that someone like Imi could reawaken her spirit.

Thud. If only for a while.

Hideki barged inside. Masuyo lay on her back, wincing and rubbing her head.

"What happened?"

"I fell again," she said. "Hit my head on the bedpost."

"Hey, look at me; look." He stared her square in the eyes, and she met his gaze. "Good, no concussion. Is there any blood?"

"It's just a bump, Papa. You're overreacting."

"Maybe so." He eased her up, but she wobbled on her feet.

"What just happened?" The navi on the desk peered curiously. "Masuyo-chan—"

"Sometimes my legs give out, Imi," said her operator. "Not to worry."

Imi nodded, but she shot Masuyo a worried glance.

"I'll be right here," Hideki told his daughter, motioning to the door. "Is that all right?"

"Of course, Papa."

As Masuyo dusted herself off, Hideki inched outside again and sat against the wall and floor. All his hopes rested with Imi now, and for a moment, he wondered whether it was right to make her at all. What would happen when Masuyo's body finally failed her? Years or months—it made no difference. Someday Masuyo would be gone, and just he and Imi would remain. What then?

A burst of laughter erupted from the room, assuaging his fears. Imi had brought some small joy back to Masuyo's life, and that was worth any consequences, justified any cost. Whatever happened after Masuyo Hideki could live with, so long as Imi made his daughter smile.

**1**

"Ah, hakase, good morning! We didn't expect you back so soon."

Soon. _Soon_ they called it. He'd left on Monday morning, day 56, and now it was early Thursday, day 59. Just three days since Enzan rocketed him to Ameroupe on a spaceship, yet those three days felt like the passing of a millennium.

Weary and fatigued, Yuuichirou trudged to his lab, much to the surprise of his interns and subordinates.

"You all received the data I sent?"

They nodded in unison and pointed to clipboards and screens and chalk drawings.

"Good. Throw it out." Yuuichirou laid a chip on his desk. "This has my revisions. Start from there."

To their chagrin, he retired to his cot, but dreams of the past three days disturbed his sleep.

"_What am I now? What is there left for me?"_

Rockman's questions summed up Yuuichirou's legacy as a father. He'd dedicated the bulk of his energies to work, to science, but what did that leave for family? That his work saved Saito didn't excuse his absence later. A true father directs and guides his sons, yet when they left, they never consulted him. The idea—the very notion—never occurred to them, and why should it? What had he done to earn their confidence? Nothing. And he left them alone all for what?

A body in a tank of liquid.

Since dreamland wouldn't bless him with peace, Yuuichirou sat back in darkness, switched on the tanks' inner lights, and bathed in the glow of Masuyo and Saito. They'd both failed, hadn't they? He and Nakamura, rather. They forgot the children they already had. Nakamura's situation, however, was convenient: Imi hounded him all over the globe, so he could run from his problems. Yuuichirou could afford no such luxury. His sons were coming home—he'd moved to ensure that—and soon he would confront them both. To Netto he would give comfort and support. That was easy, but what of Rockman?

Yuuichirou stared at the first tank, where Netto's double floated in silence. To think he'd spent so much time on Saito's body and promptly overlooked his state of mind. No more! A father he would be, and let no one accuse him of anything less. He would cure his elder son's malaise, shatter the chain of troubled thoughts and doubts. He could only hope it would prove no more difficult than severing the link between the boys. Of that there were still no guarantees, despite his efforts.

Sometime that morning, one of his interns stepped into the lab and passed him a note. The first thing that jumped out at him was that noon had come and gone.

The second was that Netto and Meiru were on the way back to Japan.

—

The Net Police dispatched Manabe Rin to escort Meiru and Netto from the airport. The former was able enough, but the latter bore a sling on his arm—the battle damage, he explained, from their last bout with Imi. Time spent in Namaste, at a hospital to patch up wounds, had delayed their arrival.

The green sedan caught the tail end of afternoon dismissal and ran afoul of schoolchildren on their way home, to their mothers and fathers or after-school activities. A pass by Higureya revealed Tohru, Dekao, and Shuuko going wild over the latest batch of battle chips, much to a chip collector's delight.

"Do you want to stop?" said Manabe. "I'm sure we have time."

Netto waved her on with his one good arm, however, and the chip shop shrank behind them.

Meiru understood why they went forward. The evidence piled up on every corner and side street. Skyscrapers that had clouded and marred the horizon vanished over the months they were gone. Old friends no longer looked the same: Shuuko had let her hair down but cut it around her shoulders, and even little Tohru had grown, if only a few centimeters. Manabe spoke of the incidents that paralyzed the city at night, which, until recently, Dingo and Nenji had held at bay.

Dingo and Nenji. Meiru closed her eyes, and the doctors' words echoed back to her. "Hairline fracture of the right femur, left ankle sprain, cracked rib—no, _two_ cracked ribs…"

Imi's wrath had been terrible indeed. Netto had escaped with largely scrapes and bruises; Meiru thought he was lucky because he'd been the last to fall, but he stared out the window, shaking his head, both on the plane and now, back home. He would've liked it better if he'd taken the brunt of the injuries, if he could've spared the others…

That was just like him, like both of them. Rockman, too, would've given everything to stop Imi. Codey's interference had robbed him that chance.

_But there's a difference. Rockman would do it for himself as much as for others. Netto would only put himself in danger _for_ others._

And what of her, of Sakurai Meiru? What did she want? What drove her?

"Netto?"

He brushed her hand aside, but this motion ran afoul of his sling, aggravating his shoulder. Despite this rejection, Meiru watched him closely. He had to say something; he couldn't stay silent forever. Surely if he resented her decision, he would say so, wouldn't he?

What if, in his mind, he'd said it a thousand times already?

Netto and Rockman exchanged a glance. Despite Rockman's collapse, his emotional break, he and Netto shared something powerful, something Meiru could never be a part of. For a moment, Meiru doubted her own intentions: no doubt separating them was best, but Meiru wanted her old friend back—the cheery, carefree, oblivious Netto of weeks gone by. Nay, it was worse: she wanted the best of old and new, both his sublime, never-say-die attitude from the past and his willingness to indulge in her comfort, to let her lead him when he was blind, to hug her when even he thought Rockman would be gone for good.

For these thoughts, Meiru cursed her own naïveté. She couldn't pick and choose what she liked from both past and future. She had to take the bad with the good, pain with joy, maturity with grief. That's why they hadn't come home this day.

Home was in the past.

—

Hikari Yuuichirou rubbed his glasses with his labcoat. "Netto, Saito, Meiru-chan, how was your flight?"

Netto leaned to the side, looking around his father. His fears confirmed, he raised an eyebrow. "Ah, it was…good, Papa."

"Glad to hear it. Well, I'd like to get started right away—"

"Oji-san?" Meiru opened her mouth to say something else, but she looked a bit green. Or red.

"Something wrong?"

She pointed past him. "They're naked."

Yuuichirou turned. Sure enough, Masuyo and Saito's bodies shone in total nude splendor.

"Ah. Maybe you should wait outside. Netto, Saito…"

The boys followed their father, who pinned the curtains together at a fold, obscuring the two bodies.

"I heard about Namaste," said Yuuichirou. "How's your arm?"

"Could be worse," said Netto. "It's fine, Papa."

"Good, I'm glad."

They were all glad…weren't they?

"Papa—"

"I suppose we should talk about the procedure," said Yuuichirou, cutting off Rockman. "It should be fairly simple. I'm going to upload some data into your program, Saito, and the effect should cascade to Netto just like the last one did. Netto, I'm going to hook you up to these monitors here, just to be sure, but—"

"What about us?" asked Rockman. "The power we share when we're connected, the power to defeat Imi-chan—what will happen to it?"

Yuuichirou looked between his boys. "I don't know."

—

They let Rockman sleep while the patch's effect took hold. Netto, however, fidgeted. The sensor pads stuck to his skin, and the wires entangled him. Since all appeared normal despite this, Yuuichirou showed mercy to his son and freed him from the monitors, and Netto retired to the hall…

…with her.

She buried her hands in her lap, said nothing when he sat beside her. True, Netto had been cold to her, but only for lack of freedom. Some things should not be said while another mind haunts your own.

"Meiru."

"I'm sorry. I should've found some other way. I—"

"Even with the link between us, I couldn't convince him," said Netto. "I doubt you could've."

She nodded, but the motion lacked conviction.

"I'm glad to be here," he told her. "I hope this works."

"I hope so, too."

"It's just…when I was standing there, facing Imi, and nothing happened…"

She looked away.

"…I couldn't stop him, and I couldn't stop her, either. It's exactly like he felt when Imi took Roll…"

Meiru shuddered. She dabbed her eyes. "Can you forgive me?"

He frowned. "Shouldn't I?"

"But Netto—"

"Even nii-san wants forgiveness, and I can't _not_ forgive him. He's my brother." Their eyes met. "And you're my friend." A short giggle interrupted him. "What?" said Netto. "What's so funny?"

"You see things so simply."

"I don't see anything simple about it."

"It'd be easy for someone else to be angry, either with me or with Rockman."

"What's the point of doing something easy?"

She scoffed. "Netto…"

"Well, forget it then. I know I've been gone a long time, and a lot's happened. We're here, though—maybe not the way we used to be, but we're still here."

Meiru laughed. "And you're still silly."

"I'm not silly!"

"It's better if you are. It means not everything's changed."

Netto pouted. "I'm not silly."

His stomach rumbled.

"Sounds like you're hungry," said Meiru.

"They didn't give us enough food on the flight!" he said. "How can you expect me to be satisfied with that? Just a tiny cup of rice. Honestly!"

She smiled. With wistful joy in her eyes, she beamed at him. "I'm glad you're back, Netto. Even if this doesn't work—"

"It'll work."

She leaned next him, took his hand, rested her head on his shoulder. "How do you know?"

He closed his eyes. Hidden amongst his own feelings—the comfort of Meiru at his side, nostalgia for the past and old trivialities they left behind—other sensations emerged: the need for vengeance, for vindication, for absolution. Some of these things he could give, but the desire was weak and fleeting, distant to his own mind, yet he recognized them at once.

"He's already here," said Netto. "I feel him."

—

"You…feel…"

"It's just a feeling," Rockman told his father. "Like when he's sleeping."

"But do you hear—"

"If we try."

Yuuichirou sank in his chair, wiping his brow. "Still, that's an improvement, right?"

"It is, Papa. Netto-kun and I are grateful, thank you."

"Well, if this is how it stays, there may be more work to do yet," said Yuuichirou, "but I'm glad this was something I could do, for both of you."

"You've always worked hard, Papa," said Rockman. "You worked hard for us."

Yuuichirou shook his head. "No, my son, not for you. Then that would make everything just and fair. If only I _had_ done everything for you, we wouldn't be here. I may have done all I could as a scientist for you and Netto, but I didn't do what I should have as a father."

"But Papa—"

"Tell me truthfully, Saito: how do you feel now? About yourself? About Roll and Imi? About Netto?"

"How do I feel? Papa—"

"Son, in the last week, you nearly killed Meiru-chan trying to kill Roll and Imi. You abandoned Netto, shot Glyde, crippled Netto with pain in your battle with Imi…"

Rockman trembled. "Is that all?"

"I'm sorry," said Yuuichirou. "That was harsh of me, but I'm trying to help you. I'm trying to be your father, give you support."

"What would you have me do?"

"What do you _want_ to do?"

Rockman sighed. "It was easier before. WWW were trying to hurt people, and we stopped them. Pharoahman, Dr. Regal and the Darkloids, Duo's armies, Greiga and Falzer…. We knew we had to defeat them, but it was natural to do that. Sometimes, people or navis died, but—"

"Not Roll."

The boy shook his head. "Not Roll-chan. That was my fault."

"It wasn't."

"It was! _I_ ran the program; I wanted to be human! I wanted to be there for Netto-kun, I was angry with Roll-chan for never telling me, and I thought…I thought I should go with the person who didn't ask me to be with them. Roll-chan asked. Netto-kun would never. That seemed fair, but it wasn't about fairness, was it? It's not fair that Roll-chan is dead now, dead or trapped in Imi-chan's mind. How is that fair?"

"You made a choice in good faith."

"I know! I know. It doesn't matter whose fault it is. Netto-kun's told me that so many times." He shook his head. "I still owe her something, though. Even if Imi-chan's infected and dying, I have to seek her out, Papa! She should be punished for what she did to Roll-chan. She uses Roll-chan's weapons, you know. I saw it just yesterday—she attacked Raoul and Thunderman with a Heart Slash, shot Napalmman and Nenji-san with Roll-chan's arrow. It's one thing when she uses other navis' attacks, but Roll-chan…" He made a fist. "It's wrong. It's like a dark shadow on Roll-chan's memory. Codey was right, Papa: I still hate her for what she did, and I don't care what you say; I won't stop it. I can't stop it."

"Do you think anything good will come of those feelings, Saito?"

"That's why I thought maybe if I were the one who touched Imi-chan with the frame bug, it'd be better."

Yuuichirou sighed. "I didn't do all this…" He gestured to the tanks. "…just to see you throw your life away."

"I have to do what's right, Papa. I will keep after Imi-chan."

"No! I forbid it! For your sake, for Netto's sake, stop chasing her, at least while Netto recuperates! At least—"

"It's all right, Papa." Netto poked his head inside, and Meiru followed him. "I stick with nii-san on this. We need to stop Imi, and just because of this…" He pulled on the band of the sling. "…doesn't mean we can wait. I want to go back. I want to rejoin the fight."

Yuuichirou approached his younger son. "Netto, are you sure about this? With Saito's state of mind—"

"I have faith in my brother, Papa. I know when it comes down to it, _we_ will make the right decision, won't we, nii-san?"

"I hope so, Netto-kun."

At that, Netto slid his PET back in its holder. "So, where did Enzan and Nakamura-hakase go?"

"Last I heard," said Yuuichirou, "they were waiting for Imi in Choina…"

**2**

"Choina you say?"

Masuyo nodded, speared a chunk of shrimp from her plate, and chewed.

"When I was in school, they didn't teach Choinan history until…" Hideki frowned. "I don't know if they ever taught us that."

"It was really interesting, Papa!" Beside Masuyo's meal, Imi sat with her legs dangling over PET's edge. "Sensei said the Choinans discovered Netopia in 1421, 70 years before the Ameroupans did. Isn't that amazing?"

"No kidding?" said Hideki. "I had lunch the other day with Kinomoto-sensei from the university, and we talked about that theory. He said it was a total fabrication."

Imi frowned, dejected. "Oh really?"

"It doesn't surprise me," said Masuyo. "Toyoshima-sensei is, well…"

"Well?" said Hideki.

"Imi, maybe you can show Papa?"

"Of course!" The navi in the white skirt transformed before their eyes, taking the form of a middle-aged man with beady eyes and a slight hunch. " 'Class, what you should realize about our collective heritage is that the East has discovered many things, often times only for the West to rediscover them later and take the credit. We are not second-class citizens in this world, you know.' " There was a pop in the background. " 'No chewing gum in class!' " Imi scowled to emphasize the point. " 'The Choinans invented gum too, as a matter of fact. It was one of their finer inventions, alongside the firework and the Great Wall…' "

Masuyo burst out laughing. "I think I must meet the sensei sometime," said Hideki. "Either that or report him to the school board."

The Nakamura family's amusement soon died down, however, and Masuyo pushed food around with her fork.

"I'm sorry, Papa. I think I'm not very hungry."

"Masuyo-chan, it's rude to leave food unfinished," said Imi. "At least, that's what the teachers said at lunchtime, too. Did you know that, Papa? Masuyo-chan isn't eating—"

"It's all right, Imi," said Hideki.

"I think I'll go lie down," said Masuyo. "If I may, Papa?"

"Of course." She scooted away from the table. "Ah, but leave Imi for a moment," said her father.

Masuyo obliged him, and with a short bow, she retreated upstairs.

"I'm sorry, Papa," said Imi. "Did I do something wrong?"

"You call me _Papa_," he noted with amusement. "What that Masuyo's idea?"

She shook her head. "It just seemed right. You're my papa too, aren't you?"

He chuckled. "I suppose so. Tell me, Imi, how was your first day? Being alive, I mean; I'm curious."

"Oh, it was wonderful, Papa! I think I got overexcited sometimes—everything's so new to me and all—but Masuyo-chan was very patient, and all the other boys and girls were excited to see a navi. Not many of them have one unless it's also their brother's or sister's."

"That's how I knew you'd be a special gift for her," said Hideki.

Imi giggled.

"Are you happy?" he asked her. "So far, at least?"

"Without a doubt! I mean, I only really know you and Masuyo-chan, but…I can't think of anyone better to have created me, to be my operator. I couldn't be happier."

—

Couldn't be happier.

"I'm going to find you, Codey-kun!"

"Can't catch me, onee-san!"

In an isolated corner of the net, the children of Nakamura chased one another, darting through a dirt-walled maze. Imi rounded a corner, and Codey looked back and grinned at his sister.

"Not caught me yet!" he said.

"We'll see about that."

Imi halted and closed her eyes; her thoughts rearranged the maze. A gap formed in the wall beside her, and Imi dove though, tackling her younger brother.

"Oh, no fair!" said Codey. "That's cheating!"

But Imi laughed all the same. "I'm sorry! I'll play fair next time; it's just…" She helped Codey up, but their hands stayed together, and Imi cast a wistful look over the maze. "I love this too much," she said. "Being here with you, being able to touch someone…"

Codey's bemusement turned grim. "I know, onee-san, but—"

"You still want to play?" said Imi. "Or maybe a different game?"

"I…"

"We should play cards. Cardman-san taught me lots of games." The maze receded, and Imi motioned for Codey to sit with her. "Spades? Hearts?"

"I think we should talk about Papa," said Codey.

A deck of cards materialized in Imi's hands, but she promptly dropped them, and they scattered on the floor. "What about Papa?" she asked, taken aback.

"Don't you want to see him?"

"Well, of course, but…" She sighed. "I've been looking for him non-stop for the last two months. I just want to enjoy this time we have while we still have it. There has to be more to life than Papa, after all. I'm glad there can be something for both of us."

Imi retrieved the wayward cards, but Codey shifted uncomfortably. A dozen times now he'd brought up the subject of their father, yet over the hours they'd played together, he and Imi had yet to broach the topic at all. Codey thought sure her curiosity would get the better of her when he remarked about Papa leaving him to meet her, but Imi dismissed both their father's kindness (as she saw the gift—the changes Hideki made to Codey's program, just enough to keep his mind from Imi's copying abilities) and his insensitivity. She asked not why their father abandoned both of them, and Codey, for his part, couldn't bring himself to tell her unprompted.

_She's so happy now._

And happiness was an emotion Codey had seldom glimpsed in Imi. Rage and desperation? Sure. Grief and agony? At times, self-imposed. Granted, he hadn't known her very long, but there was an innocence to her, a childishness that belied her misdeeds. The sight of his sister carefully dealing out a two of clubs or king of diamonds clashed with what he _knew_ she'd done: murdered and slaughtered and crippled.

If he found the courage to tell her the truth, what would stop her from unleashing those emotions on him? Why shouldn't her joy freeze in a heartbeat and melt into cold wrath? Would she stop with merely hurting him?

Codey trembled, but not only fear shook him: the frame bug's effects progressed over time. The attacks of weakness increased in frequency, paralyzed him with helplessness as his body refused his mind's commands. More than that, his fingers and toes acted on their own. They wiggled and seized and attacked him with aching spasms. Time was running short, for him and for Imi. Perhaps he'd been foolish—to think Imi wouldn't be angry when he told her—yet now he couldn't avoid that thought at all. Couldn't think, couldn't speak, couldn't breathe…

"Codey-kun!"

He shook, he struggled, he gyrated. His rolled on the floor, beating it wildly.

"What's happening? What's wrong?" Imi grabbed him and held his flailing limbs at bay. "Can you talk?"

His lips and jaw moved, but his voice came out like a squeaky hinge. "I'm sorry, onee-san. I'm sick."

"You're sick? Codey-kun, the way you're shaking—this is serious! How could Papa let this happen?"

"He didn't _let _it happen. He…he…" Another spasm seized his chest, as if an unseen hand clutched his heart in a death grip. "Papa…"

At once she nodded. "That's right; we need to find Papa."

"No, you don't—"

"Even if Papa can't fix me, he can fix you," said Imi. "This should be child's play for him, but how can we…?" She looked about. "We can't find him here, in the net. I need to go outside."

"No!" said Codey, catching her arm. "You can't go; you can't leave me! Papa…" He stopped. If she saw how this bug affected him, how would she react knowing she too would soon feel it? Concerned, he tried a different tactic. So long as she didn't run off while he was talking to her, he could find some way to break the news gently. "What if something happens?" he said. "What if, while you're gone—"

"You won't get better with just me here," said Imi. "I can't help you by myself. Just stay; I promise I'll be back soon."

"But onee-san—"

She disappeared down a Rush Hole, her portal to the real world, and Codey sat alone.

_It's all right,_ he told himself. _Onee-san will go to Papa, and Papa won't let us down._

—

On a laptop screen, a Mettool keeled over and disintegrated.

"I don't believe this." Nakamura Hideki pulled his own hair and blinked expectantly, as if looking again might change the result. When that didn't happen, he jammed the keyboard, and another Mettool walked across the monitor, oblivious to its fate.

But the passage of time let up for neither man nor navi. As the counter on screen ticked away from thirty to zero, Hideki checked his own watch. It too counted not up but down, and it read in hours, minutes, and seconds.

The time, nearest they could figure, when Codey would die, just like the 116 viruses Hideki had liquidated on his quest to find a cure.

Poof. Make that 117.

"This isn't happening. It's a simple frame bug; this _shouldn't_ be happening!"

And in Hideki's rational mind, only two explanations could account for his difficulty: either the frame bug problem had proved genuinely harder than he anticipated…

…or _he_ was the problem, not the program, and his failures resulted not from imperfect knowledge but imperfect _use_ of knowledge. The theory behind his solution was sound. The practitioner of that theory? Not so much. If he and he alone held up the patch for the frame bug, either through his own carelessness or reckless fervor, then he could buckle down and focus; that way, _he_ controlled the fates of his children. To accept that maybe, just maybe, he'd created something he couldn't undo at all…

He looked to the watch once more. 8:53:22. Eight hours, fifty-three minutes, twenty-two seconds, and every second mattered. Every second meant Codey felt agony, thanks to him. He couldn't let it stand, couldn't afford to lose his head, not now. He closed the blinds, shut the door, and typed in utter darkness, save for the white and blue glow of a liquid-crystal screen.

—

"So you say Dr. Nakamura's made no progress?"

Enzan rubbed shoulders with the crowd, a large congregation from all walks of life, assembled to greet travelers and family returning home. He too awaited a party, but this place wasn't home. The signs bore kanji and other symbols, similar to his native Japanese, but he recognized few of the characters. The strangers beside him chattered amongst themselves, and he puzzled at exotic vowels and incomprehensible progressions of stress and accent.

This was Choina, the cradle of civilization on this side of the world for the last two millennia, yet for all its achievements, the gems and discoveries that adorned its history, Choina had locked itself behind a curtain of mysticism and control. _Mysticism_ in the role of the state: a master entity that divined the will of the people and the best interests of the nation. _Control_ in how the state realized its vision: let no one deny for a minute that the people of Choina were under a load worthy of a dozen oxen. Such was their duty to the state.

Some might even yearn for the days of emperors and dynasties, right or wrong as they may have been.

Nevertheless, Enzan had great hopes that Choina would protect him and Nakamura. The government's restrictions of information buffered them from the outside, and after the fiasco over Jasmine's treatment, the Choinan's owed them ten times over. At the least, should they try to work Enzan for their own purposes, he would make sure Jasmine became a willing expatriate, and if she should happen to find herself among Nibetan rebels and become their ace in the hole for independence, so much the better.

They shouldn't need safe harbor for long, though. If Imi didn't make herself known and beg for Nakamura's help, she would die anyway, but Enzan loathed relying on timeframes for safety, hence why he tapped his foot at debarkation.

Hence why he called Laika.

"The doctor seems to be an expert at making no progress," Laika remarked.

"His emotions get the better of him," said Enzan. "If he were a net battler, he wouldn't do well at all."

Laika grimaced and hunched over a coffee table. "Even we 'professionals' aren't doing so well."

"Shouldn't you be resting? Lying down at least?"

The soldier of Sharo merely turned around, exposing a patchwork of bandages and stitches.

"I can't," he said.

Enzan winced. "And the others?"

"Well, no one's in surgery at the moment."

"The princess?"

"It looked bad late this morning," said Laika, "but I'm…confident she will pull through."

"I'm sure she will."

Laika nodded once but was silent, and Enzan quietly buried his own disappointment. Not that his comrades were recuperating at a hospital in Namaste—nay, he'd accepted that—but that he wasn't alongside them. He bore the duty of protecting Nakamura alone again…

"Enzan!"

…and neither Netto nor Rockman could dispel that feeling. The Hikari twins, their father, and Sakurai Meiru ascended the escalator, and Enzan had visions of the past, of a rainy day two months ago, when a boy in a blue bandana walked up to him, promising to join the fight against Echo. For fifty days, Enzan sat back while Netto and Rockman trained, yet though they'd shared the same home, Enzan knew neither of his guests. They became different people before his eyes, and for all his attention to detail in battle, Enzan had been only vaguely aware of their new personas and surely oblivious to the extent of the changes. He'd given shelter to them yet enjoyed none of their confidence. All this time, he was but one man, set alone against the forces of fate, and he alone endured while the people around him crumbled—like Rockman after Roll's death, like Pride as Laika suffered Imi's tortures. How long can one man hold up the world on his shoulders?

But that was enough philosophy. Enzan cared little for it when it couldn't solve his problems, and surely these meandering thoughts wouldn't revolve the Echo crisis.

Netto approached Enzan with a smile, despite the sling around his shoulder. "I'm sorry we're just getting here," he said. "Papa wanted us in his lab back home first."

"I heard," said Enzan. "You're cured?"

"Not quite, but it's better. We only hear what we want the other to hear now. It'll work for now." He looked about. "Where's Nakamura-hakase?"

"Where I left him," Enzan said cryptically.

"And the others? Jasmine?" Meiru twitched, squeezing Netto's hand. "What was that for?" he asked.

"Nothing, nothing."

In answer of Netto's first question, Enzan pointed to his PET. "Take a look for yourself."

"Ah, Laika!" said Netto. "I'm sorry we had to leave so quickly. Is everyone all right?"

"We're managing," said Laika, "to varying degrees, but—" He glanced to his left. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" said Enzan. "I don't think the microphone picked it up."

"Excuse me for a moment." Laika limped off screen, muttering to himself about Namastian medical care.

"Well," said Enzan, "we should get going. Nakamura-hakase will—"

BANG BANG CRASH! On screen, Laika backed into frame, his hands raised.

"Laika, what—"

"Cut the call, Enzan!" he said. "Hang up before—"

"Be quiet!"

Enzan grimaced. They all knew that voice.

Sure enough, Imi walked into view, holding Laika at sword-point. "How sad," she said, studying the screen. "I didn't think you'd abandon your own people, Enzan-san."

He clenched his fist. "I do what I must."

"Yes, you always do." She looked between them, meeting the gazes of Netto, Meiru, and Yuuichirou. "You're all there, but where's Papa?"

"You should know the deal by now," said Enzan. "Surrender yourself unconditionally, and we'll give you the cure."

Her eyes widened. "You know Codey-kun is sick? How?"

The party exchanged glances. "How could she not know?" said Netto.

"You think Codey didn't tell her—"

Enzan raised a hand, silencing Meiru, but Imi's gaze only hardened further.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you!" she said. "You—how could you do this to him! He's innocent!"

"I don't recall when that's stopped you," said Laika.

She glared. Dangling a vine over him, she said, "Oh, you want more?"

"Enough!" snapped Enzan, stopping both in their tracks. He had to reestablish control of this situation, give Imi no chance to fly off the handle, and make the best of a botched plan. "Echo, I'm sending you an address. Show up there with your brother, and _he_ will receive the patch. If you don't appear with him…" Then what? Tell her she's going to die, too? With Laika and the other Members at her mercy?

"Enzan-san?"

"If you don't appear with him, we will do nothing, and in a little under eight hours, he will be junk for garbage collection."

"You're bluffing," she said. "You can't do that to him!"

"I can, and I will," said Enzan. "It's up to you whether you want to keep on your killing spree, chase after your father and risk running out of time. How long did it take you to find Laika and the others? There are a lot of hospitals in Namaste, aren't there?"

She scowled. "I can hurt them still!" she said, leveling her Paladin Sword on Laika. "I'll make you watch me kill them until you give me what I want!"

"What makes you think you can make me watch anything? Blues, hang up. I'm tired of this navi's empty threats."

"Agreed, Enzan-sama."

A still frame of Imi's shocked expression lingered on the holo-screen, but it quickly gave way to static.

"I suggest you both block incoming calls and messages to your PETs, too," said Enzan. "If she can't contact us, she can't threaten us."

Meiru gawked. "But Laika and the others—"

"Will be fine. She has too little time to waste killing them."

"You're assuming a lot, Enzan-kun," said Yuuichirou. "Imi hasn't shown herself to be wholly rational. What makes you think she believes your threat, either?"

"She has to. If she ignores the possibility that Codey may die, she ignores her own death herself."

**3**

"Blizzard!"

Piercing winds enveloped the small navi's opponent, who toppled over, encased in a block of ice.

"It's over!" cried a spectator. "Iceman wins again!"

The crowd roared with applause, and the young operator—Hikawa Tohru—shrugged and smiled. "Anyone else want a go?"

Adulation gave way to anxious murmurs. The arcade buzzed in anticipation, but though the platform and projector invited a new challenger, no one accepted the chance to battle the winner of the day. It was a curious sight, what with dozens of people surrounding the Hikawa boy but not a willing combatant in the house.

Nakamura Masuyo drummed her fingers on her wheelchair's rims and sighed. Her fingers ached to capture this moment: the wild, singular consciousness of the crowd or Hikawa's brave challenge to them. Yet when she put pencil to paper, the slim cylinder slipped and rolled on the floor. She locked the details in her mind instead, but the image lacked form. Such memories were ultimately transitory and would fade away…

A lump formed in her throat. She coughed and squeezed and patted her chest, and at last, she could breathe, but these attacks plagued her ever more, at all hours of the day and night. Oh how she envied the healthy, happy people around her! They could cheer and laugh and sing!

They could swallow…

"Come on!" Tohru asked of the spectators. "It's just one match; I'll go easy!"

"Masuyo-chan!" In her lap, Imi craned her neck to meet her gaze. "Do you want to try?"

"But Imi," she protested, "we don't know how to battle. I don't even have any chips…"

"I guess that's true."

Masuyo smiled. Sweet Imi, always trying to cheer her up. It must be harder and harder these days—for her to do that—because as often as not they'd only remind each other of what they used to do together, before Masuyo's illness took those things away from them. They drew once. They walked through the park and swung from the monkey bars, and granted, Imi could only watch these things or, at best, replicate them in her own environment, within the PET, but they played _together_—after a fashion.

They played together, so why not try something new?

"Masuyo-chan?"

The daughter of Nakamura wheeled herself to the platform, and the crowd stirred with awe and wonder. Hikawa, for his part, looked aghast at first, but any haughtiness he'd accumulated over his winning streak faded. He crouched down to eye level with Masuyo. "Hello there. What's your name?"

"Masuyo."

"Nice to meet you, Masuyo-chan," he said kindly. "I'm Tohru, and this is Iceman."

"A pleasure to meet you!" said Iceman with a bow.

"We've been watching," Masuyo explained. "Imi and I that is. I have to admit we've never battled before. I don't even own any battle chips."

"Well, that's all right," said Tohru. "You can borrow some of ours. It'll be fun, yeah?"

Masuyo nodded, and after Tohru tutored her in Net Battling 101, she and Imi prepared for their first match.

"I don't know about this," said Imi. "Hikawa-san and Iceman-san have been battling for years, and we're just starting, and—"

"I won't let you get hurt," said Masuyo. "If it looks bad, I'll plug you out, I promise."

Across the way, their opponents lined up for battle as well. "Are you ready, Masuyo-chan?"

"Yes, Tohru-san, I'm ready."

He grinned. "Then let's go! Plug-in, Iceman, transmission!"

"Plug-in, Imi, transmission!"

The two combatants faced one another on the infinite plane.

"Battle Start!"

The match began with simple maneuvers: punches and kicks and basic dodges. Though this elicited some displeasure from the crowd, Tohru's glare silenced them. Imi came along quickly: she was agile, nimble. Her little frame suppressed the power of her physical attacks, but in that sense she and Iceman were no different. Imi was capable, and perhaps in someone else's hands, she might become a passable battler.

But not in Masuyo's. Masuyo's hands twitched and shook. She dropped battle chips on the floor, slotted them in far too slowly. Tohru and Iceman thought it'd be a good test to lob Ice Cubes at Imi, but the first block knocked her back. The second stuck on a Flame Sword that Imi waved about, clumsy and uncoordinated.

That's when they saw the third…

"Masuyo-chan!"

The PET tumbled, skipped off the girl's knee and skidded on the floor, an unreachable sea for Masuyo.

"I'm sorry, Imi," she mumbled. "I can't plug you out…"

The white navi braced herself, and—

TING!

The crowd hushed. Beyond the projector, even Tohru stared in amazement. Two solid blocks of ice smashed into each other, canceling both out, and a stream of frosty air flowed from Imi's fingertips.

"How did she do that? Was it a chip?"

"Couldn't be; I saw the girl drop the PET. Look at it: it's still on the ground!"

In the confusion, Iceman fired another Ice Cube, and just as before, Imi fired off her own—this time with confidence and understanding, not the confusion that marred her first attempt, a mere reflex. The cubes collided again, and from the explosion, their data showered the field.

"Try this, Iceman! Battle Chip: Aqua Sword, slot-in!"

Iceman charged ahead, sword overhead!

CLANG! Imi raised her hands instinctively, and a blue sword of her own parried the strike. She buckled under his weight, however, dropping to a knee.

"Incredible!" "Did you see that?" "She mirrored the attack without any chips…"

And in an instant, Imi sized up the situation. She pressed the advantage, matched Blizzard with Blizzard and squeezed Iceman between his own Ice Cube and hers. She'd pinned Iceman, and though he squirmed and beat on the ice, his struggle was futile.

The spectators' whispers simmered below earshot until one brave soul clapped in admiration. Soon, the whole room cheered and erupted with newfound excitement.

"Masuyo-chan?" asked Imi. "What are they doing?"

"I think they're impressed."

They sure showed it. They hollered and swarmed the platform, bombarding Masuyo and Imi with their questions and exclamations. For Imi, however, their faces blurred; their cries melted together. She was but one navi in a harsh spotlight, and around her, in the dim surroundings of the arcade, a formless mass called to her, beckoned her.

"Come on! What are you waiting for? Finish it!"

Finish it? Yes, that's right. She could press forward. She could finish it.

"No, Imi, that's enough!"

But that voice was faint and quiet, just one of many that spoke to her. Attack, retreat, go, stay—so many conflicting commands—and while she recognized Masuyo, she also knew the battle wasn't over. She could win this for her, for all the people out there who rooted for her…

"Plug-out!"

Imi hurled a third Ice Cube into the fray, but the blocks smashed against the plug-out notification. Iceman had fled, and alone on a raised pedestal, Imi bathed in the sounds of the crowd, which sang the praises of a new victor at the arcade.

—

"Something is very wrong here."

Masuyo and Roll camped out in her room once again, their small, imaginary refuge against the choir and Imi's mind. To Roll's consternation, however, the observation was largely redundant.

'_How could they use Codey-kun like this without him knowing?'_

Imi's thoughts ran in circles; the distraction delayed her return to Codey, and on some level, she feared possibilities. With Codey's mind a closed book to her, she had to confront the all-too-likely truth:

'_Codey-kun knew. He knew all along. He was trying to use me, force me to go back to Papa…'_

"But it's more than that," said Masuyo—or rather, said Imi's afterimage of her. "You think so too, don't you, Roll?"

"To tell the truth, I'm not really interested."

"You saw Netto-san and Rockman. What more do you want?"

Roll extended her arms, turned over her palms. "What can I do like this? I can't stop her by myself, not for long."

"You know what will happen when Imi goes back to Codey or Papa," said the ghost of Masuyo. "There will be blood."

"And Rockman may be the one to spill it," Roll mused direly, for this, she vowed, could never occur. Netto had maintained control over Rockman in their last battle with Imi, but they paid for that control with power. Without the soul-sharing of the link, without the "Saito Style," Imi survived attacks that would've been deathblows. Netto proved he mistrusted Rockman even now.

"You made a promise."

Roll winced. That was a bitter, bitter phrase for her. Rockman invoked it repeatedly after the incident at the Chandler, when she, in her foolish bid to kill Imi for good, had begged him to shoot her, delete Roll outright and Imi along with her. Rockman took it as a solemn oath, one he wouldn't cast aside until Roll herself absolved him of that responsibility and rejected his love, but in return, she'd made her own promise, hadn't she?

"_If there's some way I can help you, some way I can make it right, I will! After all the times you saved my life…. I'm just sorry this was all I could do today—save your body—because it's not enough is it?"_

It wasn't, not by a long-shot, but she struggled to find the right course. Up to now, the ever-needy Masuyo had yet to offer her a solution.

"The truth is," said Masyuo, "you may never be able to help him directly. The best we can do is keep Imi under control."

"And how do you propose we do that? I've tried it. It doesn't work."

"By yourself, no. You're just one voice among many, but what if you had help?"

"Where am I going to get help? Do you see anyone else here?"

Masuyo shook her head. "See them? Maybe not, but I do hear them. Don't you?"

Roll frowned. She closed her eyes—even if they were a facsimile, they distracted her—and listened. Below the obvious paranoia that filled Imi's thoughts (_'He must've known; he wasn't upset at all that Papa left him behind'_), something else whispered to her. The mumblings were soft and hardly audible, but Roll knew that soft hum. It was but the first movement in a seven-part requiem.

_The choir._

—

Roll ventured forth, into the void, but the shadows nipped at her body, and dozens of claws and hooks lay in wait, ready to shred her and scatter her data among the black mass, another voice for the collection. For too long, she'd counted herself among them, sat by while Imi wrought chaos and death. It was easy to be mindless there, to let the collective will overwrite your own. Perhaps if she yelled loud enough, they would listen to _her_ instead, follow _her_ commands.

The choir whispered, abuzz with dark thoughts for Imi.

"He's betrayed you," they said. "He deceived you…"

Poison Imi's mind against Codey would they? Well fine. She could yell and scream and chant ominously, too! If only her programmers had included Latin in her translation library…

The darkness seethed and frothed around her, like a corrosive foam. One wrong step, and she'd disappear in the shadows once more. She couldn't let that happen. She had to make her stand here.

But what could she say? What did she have to say to faceless specters? All this time, she'd been pushing against Imi for concrete reasons—to save Meiru's life, to heal Rockman's mind—but half the time she took orders from Masuyo, always under the guise, the _excuse_, that Masuyo could do little herself, being a part of Imi and all.

"Don't get distracted." Masuyo's disembodied voice rang out over the choir's soft murmurs. "They'll rip you apart if you lose your center of focus. You know that."

Still, Roll chafed against this outside control, but rather than lose precious "focus," she directed her anger toward the choir.

"Well?" she challenged. "What do you have to say for yourselves?"

The mumbling intensified. How irritating it was, for everyone to murmur around her but not talk to her. She knew the hearts of these navis, the souls of the dead. If they wouldn't deign to speak with her, she could make them _very_ uncomfortable.

"I know what you fear," she said. "I know you all have suffered. I know because I was among you, and I suffered. It hurt when Rockman…" She choked. Forget that thought. "…when Imi-chan killed me, showed me everything. You're all in pain; you're terrified of what will become of you because there's no way out of here."

The choir did not answer her. The sickening silence unnerved her more than any bold rebuttal could've. Perhaps Imi found a noisy room too loud to ignore, but Roll feared the dead quiet. It reflected her thoughts back at her. It's what made her amenable to joining them in the first place, after all. Rockman had made his choice, and his future didn't include her. Meiru would grieve, but she'd also move on, and that was that. For some perverse reason, Roll found comfort in the agony of others, of Imi's new victims. The new additions to the choir reminded her she wasn't alone; she could run away from pain and fear and anguish and let those emotions bubble and stir on their own, disassociated from her.

That, ultimately, was the meaning of the choir, the mission of Imi's councilors. Their strong emotions ran free and coursed through Imi instead, and the hollow remnants of her victims wandered the shadows, ever-restless yet going nowhere. When they shared the spotlight with her as antagonists, they fed on her anxieties, for they could assert dominion over her that way. When they disappeared into the choir, they scattered, beyond all reproach. So long as they were too split to listen to Roll, she would get nowhere with them.

"So tell me," she called out to them. "What do you want? Are you really happy with having Imi-chan run around making havoc? Is that all you care about anymore?"

The murmurs peaked. Cross-talk and chatter rumbled in the choir, but still no soul dared speak up.

"Answer me!" said Roll. "We _can_ do something about Imi-chan. Together. Masuyo-san brought me out because I could still make a mark on the world; there was still someone out there I cared about. Maybe you don't have those things—I don't know; I can't know—but I'm telling you right now: we can stop her if you all choose to help me, if you stop hiding…"

But the souls around her clung to darkness, cowards all, none of them willing to face up to reality, to change the cycle of paranoia and violence they inflicted upon Imi.

Roll huffed. "Fine by me. I don't know who's worse: Imi-chan for doing what she does or you all for pushing her toward it. You think death will let you escape? You might be wrong. Maybe there'll be a special place for all of us in the underworld, and we can be trapped with each other for eternity. How does that sound?"

Apparently it sounded pretty good, for the choir didn't stir, much to Roll's consternation. Honestly! What else could she do? She'd tried all she could think of; she needed _help_, but even in the misty void she was alone. Not even Rockman—the old Rockman, the one who never quit despite the odds—could help her now…

"That's not so, you know."

She twitched. A presence made itself felt, coalesced amongst formless shadows.

"Even after you told me you hated me, I've been waiting for you, for when you might need me, take me back. I wouldn't drive Imi-chan to madness. I just needed the right time, don't you think?"

_Could it be…?_

A solitary figure stepped from the darkness and shared her light, and in sharing it, the light grew and repelled oppressive shadows.

"I missed you, Roll-chan," he said. "I missed you, and I wanted to help you, but more than that, I want to help myself, too."

She smiled. Maybe he wasn't the Rockman she knew, but in that moment, set off from the raging agony of the choir, she could believe, true or not, that he was close. Close enough, in every way it mattered.

He offered his hand. "Shall we?"

She nodded and clasped his fingers, and together, they marched forward, determined to awaken the complacent souls around them.

—

Some souls, however, were painfully awake. Imi arrived at her hideout to find it barren and desolate. Her dear brother, the closest thing to her own flesh and blood, had abandoned her.

_Why would he leave unless…?_

Maybe he went looking for her. After all, she'd blown a small chunk of the day tracking down those blasted Net Saviors; she could forgive some level of impatience.

_Maybe_, she thought darkly,_ he's already…_

She shook her head. _Impossible. He couldn't, he wouldn't have. Enzan-san said it would take hours!_

Did Codey know that?

Imi's stomach churned. Sitting and mulling over the possibilities made her feel weak and helpless. To think that Codey was dying and that she, directly or not, would be the only one who could change it…. Enzan left the choice to her, after all. Once again he proved himself a sickening and ruthless adversary, willing to sacrifice and concede much—Codey's blood, the blood of his colleagues—to help take Imi down.

Too much. He had to have some backup plan. How could he be sure Imi would turn herself in rather than let Codey die? Of course she _would_…if she knew for a fact Codey had no part in devising this plot. That was still an open question, but say he didn't, for the moment. What would Enzan do? What stopped her from going back to that hospital showing him and Laika the prick of her point, as it were?

She shivered. Imi had a policy to take her own threats seriously, for her enemies would dismiss her if she backed down, but in truth, she relaxed when Enzan cut her off. There was something fundamentally different about slicing open a person and watching their red fluid drip and seep and pulse away. At least navis (Cross Fusion or no) could reasonably fight back, but here, in the real world, people were as unpredictable as they were squishy. Egami had shown her that much—she begged and pleaded and grabbed Imi's arm to stave off Grove's execution. How tragic for her; she was still here, in Imi's mind, somewhere…

She shivered again. What was taking Codey so long? Was he really in league with Enzan and the others? But what purpose would that serve? If Codey knew how to get back to their father, why would Enzan try to use him against her? Why would—

She lurched. _Oh dizzy, weak, don't think. Tired of waiting, tired of thinking. Dizzy, weak, don't—_

Frozen. She fell on her side; her head bonked on the floor. She stared into the distance, for her eyes disobeyed her and neither moved nor blinked…

…nor cried.

_So this was the plan. This is what Codey-kun and Papa gave me. This was the other half of the gift._

There was a woosh in the distance. Scattered data assembled itself in a boy's form. He took one look at her and gasped. "Onee-san!"

"You…you did this to me…"

He dashed to her side, but his own body failed him in the final steps. He tripped and skidded along the floor, halting beside her. The children of Nakamura lay prone, helpless, and weak.

"You're sick too?" Imi murmured. "Still?"

"I went looking for Papa," he explained, "but nobody could tell me where he'd gone."

"I know where."

Their eyes met. "Then come with me! Come with me back to Papa! He can fix you; he can fix both of us. That was the plan. That's all I meant; I didn't want to hurt you. I just thought if you had to come back—"

She scoffed. "After what you and Papa did, you think I want to go back with you?"

He rose to his feet, but he leaned over her, pleading. "Onee-san—"

"Go, Codey-kun." She opened a window, and a twelve-digit series of letters and numbers appeared. "This is the address; go back to Papa if you want. I won't."

"But, Onee-san—"

"GO!"

Her roar knocked him on his rear. Sobbing and stricken, he backed away. "I'll hold the door open as long as I can," he offered. "As long as Papa and the others will let me. Please, onee-san, you don't deserve to die."

"You should've thought of that before."

He gaped. "You're right. I'm sorry."

Imi closed her eyes, and the sound of dematerialized data echoed in the empty space.

So that was the end of it. Codey was willing to hurt her, kill her if necessary. Not even her closest family offered any safe harbor or peace. So much for the strength of blood; blood shed blood for every moment passed.

_It all comes down to blood._ She sat up. _And only blood understands blood._

To rapturous cheers and chants for blood, for vengeance, for _'Echo, Echo,'_ Imi took to her feet and disappeared down a Rush Hole. Codey and Papa's betrayal severed a bond of blood, after all. Imi would be remiss not to show them just how much would spill.

—

"What do you _mean_ she wouldn't go with you?"

"I mean exactly that, Papa," said Codey. "When she realized what was happening, she just…yelled at me to go."

From their high-rise room, The Net Saviors—Netto and Enzan—overlooked the wide glass wall with Meiru, Hideki, and Yuuichirou. The vast Choinan cityscape, a mixture of modern skyscrapers and ancient dynastic architecture, bathed in afternoon sun.

"Then that's it," said Enzan. "She's burned her last shot. If she won't come after you, she'll be gone within hours."

Netto shook his head, uncertain. "This is wrong. Nobody should have to die like that."

"It's better that she be gone," said Rockman. "She's done enough harm."

"She's not gone yet," said Codey. "Papa, you have the cure, don't you? Let me go back to her with it; let me show her it works."

"And if she touches you?" said Enzan. "Will the cure be transmitted to her by contact?"

Hideki only tugged on his collar.

"You don't know, do you?" said Yuuichirou.

"It…it's not…"

"It's not ready, is it?" said Enzan.

"Codey, I may need your help," muttered Hideki.

"Have you even been trying?" said Meiru. "How long—"

"I just need some help, all right?" he barked. "The code just…doesn't come as quickly to my fingers anymore. It's easy to destroy things with code. It's a lot harder to put them back together, a lot harder to—"

Bam. The windows rattled. A dull thud, a brief shake.

"Enzan-kun," said Yuuichirou, "are there jammers here?"

"Scattered throughout the building. Nakamura-hakase's PET was hard-lined; there's no way she could be here."

"Maybe not in the building, but outside it?"

Enzan grimaced.

Outside, a tiny speck hovered amongst the clouds. It hurled streaming feather rockets to the street, and the shopkeepers, the pedestrians—they huddled below awnings and scampered away. The stray dot in the sky floated closer at a slow but deliberate pace.

"This is it then," said Enzan. "This is where we decide who dies before Echo does. Let's go!"

**4**

"What's going to happen to me, Papa?"

Father and daughter—well, daughter's navi—sat at the dinner table, the former sipping tea, the latter mimicking his motions with a virtual cup and kettle.

"How do you mean?" said Hideki.

"We both know what's happening." She gestured to the corner…and a pile of bent wheels, frayed wires, and severed spokes.

"It was just an accident," said her father. "Nothing more."

"Masuyo-chan's lucky she didn't hurt herself," said Imi. "You know what happened? She lost control. Her hand jammed the control stick forward and she couldn't make it stop."

"We'll get a new one, a better one. I'll want you plugged into it full-time, just in case that happens again."

"She's dying, Papa."

Hideki tapped his cup for a moment then took a large gulp of his tea. "We knew that."

"I mean…" She glanced up the stairs. "…soon."

"And that's why you're concerned?"

"No!" She winced. "I mean, well, you asked me to make Masuyo-chan happy, right? I've tried to do that, after all."

"And you've succeeded, I'd say," said Hideki. "When you could, anyway."

She blushed. "Thank you, Papa. I'll keep doing everything I can right until the end, but…I can't help think about it. What happens next? When Masuyo-chan is gone, what do we do?"

"I try not to go there."

"But Papa—"

"Put it this way, Imi. I created you with a purpose, but you can choose for yourself now. I'll have to find some way to live with Masuyo being gone, and so will you. We'll manage somehow." He put his tea down. "No need to dwell right this second, anyway. We'll both find a way…to cope."

"Together, right?"

He blinked. "Come again?"

"That's what family does, isn't it? We help each other cope."

Hideki frowned at this remark. "Masuyo must be waiting for you." He carried the PET upstairs.

"It's not strange, is it?" she asked him. "I just feel like if she's gone, I won't know what to do."

"It's not strange, no. I expect," he said with a sigh, "I'll feel the same for a while. You'll think of something."

"And you, Papa?"

"I don't know. Since Chouko died and Masuyo fell ill…well, can you blame a man for thinking there's not much left for him in this world, when all things precious to him are gone?"

"But Papa—"

"Don't think about these things too hard, Imi," he said, hovering outside his daughter's door. "Go to Masuyo; get some rest. I'll see you both in the morning."

She nodded once, and Hideki ducked inside the place the PET on the desk.

"Good night, Papa," said his daughters.

"Good night."

He closed the door and went back downstairs, but already his tea was cold.

"Don't you worry, Imi," he told the empty kitchen. "You're smart. You'll think of something. Just when I think Masuyo's done smiling, you think of something. You always do."

At the same time, that ingenuity troubled him. Of course he'd been naïve—to think that Imi wouldn't move beyond her original programming or intentions. She was her own person, after all, his creation.

His daughter?

He jerked, and cold tea splashed over the table and onto the floor. No, no, that wasn't his intention! He created Imi for Masuyo, not to succeed her!

But clearly Imi didn't see things that way. She considered herself part of the family. "That's what family does, isn't it?" she'd said. "We help each other cope."

He blotted the mess with paper towels. It was a silly thought, and all too far away at that. Masuyo still lived and breathed in his home. All else could wait—her death and his live afterward.

His…and Imi's. Somehow, they would cope.

—

_Are you happy, Papa? Do you like how I'm coping with what you did?_

A Mach Burst scored the pavement, and stark red bicycle hurtled and snapped in two.

It was only fair, after all. If Papa wanted her to break down, who was she to disobey? She could break down. She could break down _hard_. Clearly that wasn't enough, though. Her father's work always had unintended consequences. If he'd destined her to collapse to rubble and dust…well, so could the rest of the world. Humans built these cities with their hands and minds, just like he built her. Both would have to fall; the choir demanded it.

They sang for it. They chanted for it. Dissonant melodies punctuated Imi's wrath; explosions were the percussion to their symphony. Imi hoped that soon, her father would come out and hear her clearly, that he would know the music of her mind, the violent, screeching cacophony.

_Hear me, Papa. Come out!_

The sky lit up, in hues from red to gold to violet.

"Echo!"

Imi floated to ground level. R Blues walked calmly to the center of the street, even as civilians fled behind him.

"You're not Papa," said Imi. "Where is he?"

"You know the deal. Surrender yourself, and we'll give you the cure. You'll be well and with your father."

The choir shouted and screamed! Their cries sundered the world, warped her vision. Imi doubled over, her hands over her ears.

"I may be with Papa," she said, "but I can't be well like this! Ice Cube! Mach Burst!"

The block slid over the street, and the wave shattered it in all directions, spraying Enzan with a barrage of chunks and shards. He shielded himself with his back, but a pellet struck his thigh, and he fell to a knee.

"It'll take more than that, Echo!" he said. "Much more!"

"It always does with you," said Imi. "So be it."

—

The first Meteor chewed through a skyscraper and cratered in an intersection, to the choir's thunderous applause.

"Stop this!" yelled Roll. "Listen! What do you get by encouraging her? Tell me!"

"Listen to Roll-chan!" said Rockman. "She's only trying to help; you're the ones who keep this mess going!"

The death chant quieted. It gave way to quiet chuckles, sinister laughter.

"What do you know!"

"Don't tell me you forgot your pain!"

"Revenge is the only thing she understands!"

"We're not the puzzle you think us, you know."

Roll and Rockman exchanged a glance. "Do you think…?" she said. "Is it…?"

A single voice, clear and consistent, snickered at their predicament. "I'm surprised you two are still at it. It's a deliciously simple enigma, considering."

The voice took form, hovered at the edge of the spotlight that enveloped Rockman and Roll. A creamy pattern of perpendicular lines adorned his face.

"Mazeman!" said Rockman.

"Not just me," he corrected. "We're all here. We've always been here."

One by one, the other stepped to the boundary, the dividing line between light and shadow: Grove stood tall, her flowers in full bloom. Slateman crossed his arms behind his back, and his joints ground against one another. Rouletteman spun his central wheel.

"Ah, but wait," said Mazeman. "There's more."

At Rouletteman's right, a fifth figure emerged: an angry Pickman, who chopped at the air with his penetrating hands. And then, last but not least, a sixth navi, with booming speakers in his chest.

"I was the first," said Sonicman. "I was alone with her, in her mind, for so long…"

Beyond the circle, the other denizens of the choir—nameless, faceless—crowded around, as if their survival depended on this confrontation. When Sonicman spoke, however, they erupted in unfeeling outrage, and Grove decided to speak for them.

"You drove her to insanity," she said. "You condemned the rest of us to something worse than death—this life!"

"It's not my fault!" The broad-shouldered navi shut his eyes and sobbed. "We drove each other mad, I'm sure. The rest of you were lucky! You can't tell me you didn't hear my whispers and take comfort knowing someone else was here."

"Fat lot of good that did," said Slateman. "You were still first! At least when we came into the picture, she was already a murderer! You did it to yourself; you got yourself killed!"

Sonicman leveled a single finger on him and shook. "There was _no way_ I was going to spend the rest of my life trapped in this girl's mind! You feel it too, don't you? The helplessness? The fear and anger that aren't even yours? I tried to be nice, but she was indecisive. She was afraid. So scared of her father to go back to him. Well what about me? What was I supposed to do? Well, I was tired of it, and I spoke my mind." He met Roll's gaze. "And you two—are you trying to tell me you don't feel it?"

Roll looked away. Even here, nestled among the choir, Imi's actions haunted her. As the battle raged in the streets of Choina, it was as if _she_ fought Enzan and Blues, not Imi. She pelted him in Vulcan rounds, swiped at the air with a heavy Gold Fist. She clawed and pounded the ground as the cyberbeast Greiga. Such awesome, terrible power, to collapse whole roads in a single punch, to vaporize buildings in a Spread Gun salvo.

And she was tired of it. Exhausted with these sensations that weren't her own, of sharing her mind with this deranged, sad little girl.

"That's why this has to stop," said Roll. "That's why all of you need to help us stop it."

Pickman jammed his tip into the ground. "I'll have no part of this! Let the little witch suffer; she's destroying everything she holds dear before she dies! Why not let her?"

"It's fitting," said Grove. "She took us away from everything we knew. Now she's doing the same to herself. I welcome it."

Roll opened her mouth, but a new voice—a seventh voice—rose in response.

"I wish you wouldn't."

Between Sonicman and Pickman, the newcomer entered the spotlight alongside Rockman and Roll, her blue braids bright and beautiful.

"Egami-san!" said Grove. "You're—"

"Here," said Egami. "And you knew that. I've been quiet for so long now."

"You died seconds after you touched her. You couldn't know what it was like."

"But I did, for a little while. I felt all manner of hatred and resentment and anguish, not only from the choir but you, too. You especially, since you were the only one still out there, talking to her."

The eggplant navi shrank slightly. Egami's gaze bored into her. "But I can explain!"

"You don't need to," said Egami. "I should've been here."

"That's absurd. You couldn't have been here even if you wanted. She couldn't have touched you when she touched me."

"Even still, if I'd been here, would you have been so angry?"

Grove bowed her head.

"Think we can change things now?"

The eggplant nodded, regretful. "I'll help. However I can, I'll help." She stepped forward, and four souls bathed in the spotlight. "Well?" she asked the others. "Aren't you coming?"

"I'd rather die than help Echo," said Slateman. "I don't care what you call it."

"And if Yukawa-san were out there?" asked Roll. "What would you do then?"

"He isn't."

"He could've been." Roll scanned the group, expanding her appeal. "Any of your operators could've been. Murata-san, Ikeda-san…" She looked to Mazeman and Pickman. "I'm afraid I don't know your operators, but you know what I mean, don't you? Don't any of you?"

Mazeman shrugged and skipped into the circle. "Why not. This could be fun."

As did Rouletteman. "I owe Kousuke-kun that much, to do right by him, even if I'm really dead."

"Will it thwart the little girl?" asked Pickman.

"If we all speak together," said Rockman, "I think we can do anything."

Begrudgingly, Pickman entered the ring as well.

"Sonicman?" said Roll. "Slateman?"

Sonicman smiled wanly. "She was a nice girl, for a while. Maybe we can bring her back to her senses."

With Roll and Rockman, the light shone on eight souls, and only Slateman was partially visible. "You can stay out, if you like," said Roll, "but I think there are others who want in if you don't."

Indeed, the rest of the choir poked and prodded at the arc of line and shadow.

"You'd be left all alone," she warned Slateman. "Alone in the dark."

Slateman huffed, but he too joined the circle, and his entrance opened the gates to others. The beam widened, and all manner of deceased souls—Imi's victims all—flooded the expanding beacon of light. Police navis, men, women, children…

"Aup aup!"

…virtual dogs.

"Rush!"

The digital canine burrowed his way through the choir and jumped into Roll's arms.

"Oh, I've missed you too, Rush," she said. "I've missed you so much…"

And as girl and her dog rejoiced in their reunion, Rockman tapped her on the shoulder, whispered in her ear. "You did it, Roll-chan. Look around you."

Sure enough, the veil of darkness had receded, leaving the choir wholly engulfed in light—the inner light that'd started with Roll and spread among them, but the crowd parted for a guest, and the silver strands in her hair glittered in the collective glow.

"They're all ready," said Masuyo.

"For what?" asked Roll.

"For you to lead them."

—

"Giga Cannon."

Enzan braced, but the beam caught him unawares. He tumbled and rolled, sprawled on the pavement, and stared at the sky—a gorgeous blue sky. Were that all he saw, he'd never have known the burning cars on the street, the severed I-beams that jutted from the ground…

…the glowing Paladin Sword that dangled over his neck.

"Shall I show you, Enzan-san? Do you need to understand?"

He scoffed. "I do what I do, and I do it well. I'm not interested in your suffering or whatever it is you call it."

Imi smiled. "That's what I've always liked about you. That's why you don't need to die."

Her sword lowered, but only to the level of his chest, to the black and white emblem emblazoned upon it.

"Blues-san, however, is something made." In a short motion, she stabbed into the navi symbol and cut a divot from the center. Enzan's armor disintegrated around him, and his PET coalesced from the remnants, shorting and cracked.

"And everything made breaks."

—

Hikari Netto gawked at the screen. His feet clapped on the sidewalk and slowed him to a halt.

"What is it, Netto?" asked Meiru. "What…" Her eyes widened. "Oh no, Enzan…"

They turned back. The dimensional area loomed in the distance. Netto had been determined to keep tabs on Enzan, but now…

"Papa, Nakamura-hakase, I…" He closed his mouth, at a loss. Enzan knew what he was getting into, surely, what with this desperate gambit to distract Imi. Netto, too, had his responsibility to Nakamura, to all of them.

_But I owe Enzan something. For all the time I spent with him, I owe him._ He shut his eyes. _Nii-san, what should I do?_

'_Enzan and Blues were kinder to us than they ever needed to be. Maybe it's time we repaid them.'_

_It's past time that we did, hasn't it?_

"Netto, go," said Yuuichirou. "We'll be all right."

_I hope so._ Netto cast his sling aside and dashed back down the street, headed for the area.

"It's madness," said Hideki. "There's no one to protect us now."

Codey appeared on his shoulder. "Maybe we should go where they are, where onee-san is."

"And do what?"

"If anyone can stop onee-san now, Papa, it's you."

The father and scientist sighed. He shouldered his laptop bag and gazed into the distance, where Netto's form shrank with each step.

"Oh, this is a mistake," he muttered, and he trotted the path before him, in Netto's trail, hoping he hadn't let Imi go a step too far.

**5**

"I hope you can understand."

Nakamura Hideki sat in his bedroom, his favorite chair. The chair faced the window, and he rocked back and forth, admiring the night.

"You wouldn't want her around doing things like that, would you?"

He traced his fingers around the top of an object. There was a cold, round lip and an opening that led to air. He put the lid on it, however, and held the round knob at the top instead.

"I know she was your friend," he said, "but I couldn't have her around, reminding me of you every day. I think about you enough as it is."

He tapped his nail on the ceramic and felt the vibrations that resulted. It was like she could talk to him, through these echoes, and he felt her regret.

"She's just a navi," he told her. "She's not…she couldn't…"

A weak voice in the night cut off his excuses. "Papa? Papa!"

A lump formed in his throat. He slid the rocking chair sideways, away from the window. "Couldn't be…"

"Papa, where are you?"

He tiptoed down the hall, urn in hand. What was she doing back here? Hadn't he made it clear? Hadn't he told her…?

"Papa! I can't stay much longer, Papa!" The words cut out in the middle and wobbled.

_PET's losing power. After all this time, the battery's finally run down._ He hovered outside the door. When the power was gone, she'd have no way back. It was the last chance, and yet…he couldn't bring himself to go inside. If only she would go away and stay gone! He wanted no part of her life; she belonged to the past, a past with Masuyo! What could she possibly want from him now?

"Don't you love me, Papa?"

There was a flicker and click. He peeked inside; Imi was gone. He closed the door and shook his head. "It's better this way," he mumbled, to himself and the urn. "I can't give her my love. First it was your mother, then you…"

He slid back into the rocking chair, set sideways against the window now.

"Can't I just be alone now?" he asked. "With you?"

He rapped on the side of the urn again, but the vibrations died off quickly, a resounding silence.

—

The dimensional area fell, its fifteen-minute window now expired.

"You should really tell me where he is, Enzan-san," said Imi, holding him at sword-point. "Blues-san doesn't look well."

Muffled grunts and groans emanated from the cracked and dented PET. Each spark shorted Blues's data, and Enzan was helpless to intervene.

"Where is Papa?" she asked him. "Where have you taken him?"

Enzan glared. "I tell you nothing."

She narrowed her eyes. "There are lots of ways to be broken. Maybe Blues-san will lose a little more of his programming, the code that makes him so loyal to you, and then he'll blame this all on your head. Maybe you'll blame yourself for not acting sooner, and he'll be gone for good."

"You can try that," said Enzan, "but Blues and I have been to the depths of hell and back and survived. We defeated the corruption of Dark Chips, the judgment of Duo!"

Despite his master's confidence, Blues stifled a scream, and Enzan's cheeks paled.

"You're lucky, though," said Imi. "They're so quiet now. If they were yelling, if they were screaming…I think I'd have to kill you. But this is better, isn't it? This is much worse than if I killed you. Now you have to watch your navi die, just like Papa made me go, just like Papa—"

Enzan eyes flickered past her. "Netto…"

She flinched. Down the street, Netto stood poised and firm, fire in his eyes.

"Well, well," she mused. "Don't you see, Enzan-san? There's someone I broke a while ago. I used to be sorry, but now…I think it was fair, better that I do it than someone else." She walked the street like a pedestrian, ignoring the overturned cars or broken asphalt. "You know you can't stop me if you hold back, Netto-san, Rockman-san," she said. "And you don't trust yourself to give in to his hate, do you, Netto-san?"

"You're wrong, Imi," said Netto, a new dimensional area forming overhead. "This time it's different. This time, _we won't lose!_"

He bathed in the light of transformation. The glow illuminated the street like a second sun peeking through the clouds, but Imi permitted his boldness only so far as it amused her. She could let them feel power and confidence and cut them down ever more harshly for it. Netto emerged from the sphere of light as R Rockman…

…and ate a Dream Sword to the face.

"GAH!"

He slammed into the area wall, a hundred meters behind. At this spectacle, Meiru and Yuuichirou sped from the shadows and to his side. He looked at them weakly and rubbed his shoulder, wincing.

"So everyone's here," Imi mused. "And Papa?"

"We're right here, onee-san."

Hideki shot the boy a look, but he couldn't hide himself now. He inched forward from an alley, sneaking only brief glances at his creation.

"Do you see what you made me to be now, Papa?" she asked.

"You can come home, now, onee-san," said Codey. "Papa has the cure, see?" He pointed to the laptop bag, which Hideki clutched tightly.

"A cure?" She chuckled, laughed, cackled to the winds. "I don't care about any cure! I don't care about living! Even if I survive, I'm still broken, Codey-kun, and Papa can't bear to look at me!" She shot him a withering stare. "Can you, Papa?"

"I never meant to—"

"You did this to me!" she cried. "You sent me out and left me with _these_…" She banged her own palm against her head. "These _navis_, these _people_!"

"I didn't know!"

"YOU DIDN'T CARE!" She stepped forward, sword in hand.

"No, onee-san, don't do this!"

"BE QUIET!" She slashed, and Hideki held up the only thing in his hands to defend himself.

The laptop bag. Circuits and letter keys sprinkled the ground, fused with the heat and energy of the Paladin Sword.

But Imi was undeterred. She marched forth, cornering Hideki as the alley came to a dead end. "It's all right, Papa. You always wanted to be with Masuyo-chan. Now you get to be."

She raised the sword high.

"No, Imi—"

'_STOP!'_

A score of voices resounded at once; their will dominated her. Imi's sword stuck in the ground, and Hideki shrank from it.

"What?" said Imi. "All of you—you talk to me together?"

The shrill screech faded away, and a clear voice spoke to her over silence. _'That's enough, Imi-chan,'_ said Roll. _'No more of this. We won't let you.'_

"But—"

'_THAT'S ENOUGH!'_ the choir roared. _'NO MORE!'_

She trembled. She paced in circles. "No, no! You can't do this! You can't do this to me! I'm in control; you _can't _stop me!" She pulled the sword back and thrust!

'_NO!'_

The blade dissolved, and she thrust—punched—at air.

"It can't be," she mumbled. "All of you together, talking at the same time…"

"Imi!"

She glanced back down the alley, toward the street. Netto spread his arms wide, and two Spread Guns enveloped his arms.

"Dream Aura?"

The white shield glowed…

…and fizzled.

"Hyper Burst!"

—

In the bright light of the Hyper Burst, Nakamura Hideki viewed the world clearly, for the first time in too long. He saw Hikari Netto—his own attack cast him with a pale glow, and Hideki wondered if the dark blues of Rockman's armor were actually a lighter shade instead.

He saw Imi, too, defenseless and terrified. She bore the impact fully; it blasted her through the yellow brick wall behind them and for several meters beyond.

He saw Codey, who could derive no joy in the scene before him. He loved his sister, after all, and their futures both lay with the severed laptop, chopped in half and splattered on the ground.

And when the beam passed, he saw the world in darkness, a place where daughters kill their fathers, and fathers murder their children. Heroes attack the weak, for they _are_ the weak when their closest partners and friends disappear in front of their eyes, bit by bit.

He saw the world in darkness, for Netto's Hyper Burst skewered the building behind them, and a brick avalanche loomed above.

He put the PET to his chest and huddled over it. "Codey?"

"Papa?"

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

And a ton of bricks rained down upon them.

**6**

"Masuyo-chan?"

The girl's eyes drooped precariously, tempted to rest, to sleep…

"Masuyo-chan!"

They snapped open, for a while. Nakamura Masuyo moved her lips, but she didn't speak—rather, she gasped for air. A clear plastic tube snaked up her nose and into her chest, feeding an oxygen-rich mixture into her lungs, but for all the good her father thought it would do, Masuyo still winced at the thought of something so invasive inside her.

Well, she _wanted_ to wince. All day she'd been so tired, but always there was an interruption. She couldn't nod off without her father squeezing her hand or—

"Masuyo-chan!"

Or Imi yelping to keep her awake.

"It's all right, Imi," said Hideki. "Let her sleep."

"But Papa, you said—"

"I know what I said." He stroked Masuyo's hair. The pristine strands sparkled and dazzled, and for just a moment, Masuyo managed a weak smile.

"You always liked my hair too much, Papa," she said.

"To tell the truth, it reminds me of your mother."

Her gaze drifted to the ceiling again. "I'm looking forward to meeting her."

"Masuyo…"

"I just wish it could've been here, with you and Imi, and not…over there."

Hideki wiped a tear away and brushed stray hairs from her eyes. "I'm sure she's waiting for you and loves you dearly, just like Imi does, just like…just like I do."

She beamed. "I know, Papa. I love you, too." She looked to the desk. "I love you, Imi."

The white navi gaped slightly, unsettled. "I love you too, Masuyo-chan."

Satisfied, Masuyo lay back, and her eyes inched shut. "Time to rest now, I think. Been such a busy…day. Always…so busy…"

Father and daughters sat quietly in the artist's bedroom; her drawings adorned the walls. By now, Hideki knew the story behind every sketch, for it'd been some time since Masuyo could produce another. Her delicate, gentle hands betrayed her intentions, but Hideki massaged them anyway, held them tight between his, felt his racing pulse against her steady, slow beat.

For a while. He didn't have a timer, a watch, or a metronome. Were they getting slower, or was it just his imagination? Was his daughter, right here, right now—

A sigh. Short and sweet and almost inaudible. Hideki pressed his fingers against her wrist, checking, scrambling. It was warm, but that was all. No pulse, no life, no more Masuyo.

"Oh my baby girl…" He climbed onto the bed, propped the body up with his hands, and hugged it one more time. "I knew this was coming," he sobbed, "but if only I could see you smile, one more time, it'd be worth it. It'd be worth everything to me…"

He closed his eyes, wishing she would speak to him, tell him it was all a dream and that she would be staying, for good this time. He could almost hear her himself, in his own mind…

"It's all right, Papa," she whispered. "I'll always be with you. I'll always smile."

His eyes flew open. It couldn't be; was she…?

He gripped her shoulders and pushed her away, studying her face. Lifeless and serene it was, but surely it hadn't spoken. Where had the voice come from?

"Papa."

Not her lips, not her body. The source lay somewhere else in this room. He looked to the right, to the pile of stuffed animals, but they observed the scene in quiet mourning. He checked left—the desk, the drawing pad—and all seemed to be in order.

Except his daughter stood, mere inches high, on polished mahogany.

"What is this?" said Hideki. "What are you doing, Masu—" He shook himself. "Imi?"

"You don't have to cry, Papa," she said with Masuyo's voice, her likeness, her beauty. "See? I'm her now, and you won't have to miss her. You won't have to be sad, Papa!"

Stunned, he left the bed, and Masuyo's body bounced on the mattress. "This is what you decided, isn't it? When Masuyo was gone, you thought you could replace her? You thought you could _be_ her?"

"I thought you'd be happy! This is what you made me to do, isn't it? Make people happy?"

He looked away. Even now, she kept Masuyo's image as her own. To think he argued with his dead daughter, even by proxy—it sickened him.

"Not like this," said Hideki. "Never like this!"

He stormed off, but Imi called after him, this time with her own voice. "But Papa, wait! I love you! Papa…!"

"Get out of here, Imi!" he yelled back.

"Papa?"

"You've fulfilled your purpose; I don't _want_ you here anymore, you understand? I don't _need_ you here anymore. GET OUT!"

Always the obedient daughter, Imi fled the PET, and only once, in the weeks that passed, did she ever look back.

"I'm sorry…Papa…"

—

Nakamura Hideki's eyes fluttered open. For a moment, he marveled that he was alive at all.

And then the pain hit. He sat up and groaned. Bumps and bruises ached and throbbed. Bandages stuck to his forehead, his arms.

"You're awake." Stoic as ever, Ijuuin Enzan sat beside him. "I know better than to leave someone in hospital to anyone else's watch now," he explained.

Hideki huffed. So it was. Still, it was miraculous. He should've been crushed under all that debris. "How did I…?"

"Survive? That was Netto. He took most of the impact. He's fine, too, although I think they had to reset his shoulder." Enzan frowned. "He seems tougher now."

"Did you recover…?"

"Your laptop? Hikari-hakase has been looking through the fragments, but most of the data has been lost."

Of course it was lost; she sliced it in half. But still, he'd hoped some of it could be recovered, for Codey's sake. His life depended…on…

"Where's Codey?"

Enzan blinked. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? He was there! I was holding his PET!"

"You weren't when Netto brought you out," said Enzan. "You must've dropped it."

Hideki closed his eyes and pressed both hands against his temples. Pain surged within him for a moment, twisting his face.

"Careful, the drugs may be wearing off."

Drugs? How long…? He looked to the window. The blinds were closed, but clearly no sunlight shone through them. "It's dark."

"You've been out for hours."

"Hours? How many hours?"

"Four or five?"

Imprecise. He needed to know _exactly_. He checked his watch.

00:34:15. 14. 13.

"There's not enough time," he whispered. "We have to find him."

"His PET is probably under a ton and a half of rubble; it's—"

Hideki shot him a death stare. "We have to find him! Don't you understand? He's my…he's my…"

Enzan looked at him coolly, his deep blue eyes steady with thought.

"I'll get a car," he said. "We'll go at once."

—

Hideki unhooked his watch and held the face between his thumb and forefinger.

_I have nothing, but it doesn't matter. Codey's smart; he can think of something. We can piece back the solution together, and he's going to live. I may have made him a little boy, but he's strong, and he's going to fight! He's not going to fall over and die on cue!_

But the seconds ticked off mercilessly and without pity. Enzan borrowed the driver's PET and yelled at the Choinan authorities in four different languages to get them through the debris, the closed-off streets. At the ten minute mark, Hideki put the watch in his pocket. He didn't want to see the numbers anymore.

They arrived at the scene, and spotlights highlighted the brick pile for workers to clear the rubble.

"They're not going fast enough," said Hideki. "They need to go faster!"

He ran from the car, dove into the pile, tossed bricks aside with his bare hands. The Choinan workers yelled at him and ducked the projectiles, but he didn't care. "Codey!" he yelled. "Are you in there? Talk to me, boy!"

Was that a voice? Could he hear him in there?

Was he alive?

"Codey! Codey, come on, give me a sign!" He kicked the pile, banging his toe on hard brick, so the word that came out was a visceral scream. "Codey!"

Beep-beep-beep-beep. Beep-beep-beep-beep. Beep-beep-beep-beep.

00:00:00. The black numbers flashed across the watch face, a digital death knell. Hideki closed his eyes and breathed in, shook his head and walked away. Enzan peered one more time through the rubble, but Hideki buckled his seatbelt and stared straight ahead, his motions jerky and mechanical.

"I killed my son today," he said, "and Imi is next."

—

She curled into a ball and held herself, but what tremors of fear she could suppress, a dozen more wracked her body, the progressive effects of degeneration, a breaking down.

_This is what you wanted, isn't it, Roll-san? Masuyo-chan?_

'_No,'_ said Roll. _'This isn't what we wanted at all. I don't think anybody wanted this, but it's what's happening. I'm sorry.'_

_Don't be sorry. Papa and Codey-kun can be happy together. I don't care anymore. I can't care anymore. I almost killed him. I _would've_ killed him—my papa._ She pressed her head against her knees. _I'm just tired of being broken! Why couldn't he fix me? Because he never wanted to?_

'_Maybe if you stopped thinking you were broken in the first place…'_

_I still hear _you_._

But there was something else, too. The reintegration of data, an arrival in her quiet corner of cyberspace.

"It's…Codey-kun?" She sat up. "Again?"

"Onee-san…" The boy staggered as his weight returned to him. He stumbled and collapsed.

"Codey-kun!"

She ran, but her legs gave out before him. The children of Nakamura faced one another, flat on the ground.

"Why aren't you with Papa?" she asked. "Why aren't you well?"

"You chopped through his laptop," he said. "All the data was there. I thought that's what you were trying…?"

The white navi gaped and quivered. "I didn't know!"

Codey looked at her. Somehow, it was worse that she didn't, but… "It doesn't matter." He rolled over, on his back, and his erratic breaths interrupted his thoughts. "He wasn't finished. He didn't come to find me. I was stuck between the bricks. How did you survive, onee-san?"

"Roll-san and Masuyo-chan let me escape. They won't permit anything else."

"I don't under…under…" He winced, tensing and panting. "Never mind. It's far past time anyway. I should be gone already, but I was afraid…"

Imi pushed herself up, sat on her knees. She dragged Codey to her lap and wrapped her arms around him. "I never meant to hurt you," she whispered. "I hope you can believe that."

"You haven't meant a lot of things, onee-san," he noted, "yet you've done some of them anyway." His gaze drifted, darting back and forth. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to blame you. I just want to be with my family now; I wish I could find Papa…"

"We both do."

"Do you think there's a place for us?" he asked her. "A world for dead navis to go to, like for humans?"

"I like to think we all go to the same place."

The boy nodded and shook. "That'd be nice. I could meet Masuyo-chan; Papa sometimes talked about her. What was she…" He tensed again, writhing, but she tightened her grip, if only to give him something to hold on to. He yelped in discomfort and clenched her arms, and Imi wasn't about to tell him to let go.

"She was wonderful," Imi told him. "She'll be there, I'm sure, for all of us."

The gyrations intensified. She pressed him against her chest; this, the only creature in this world—real or virtual—that she could touch without fear. She held him tight since for both it would be the last time: one would join the departed, and the other would find herself alone again, unable to enjoy contact with others for fear of hearing them. Thus, she shut her eyes and savored his warmth—the love of family she'd long yearned. She damped his tremors, the frightful death rattles, and soon he was still and calm and quiet.

She opened her eyes and hugged the air. Codey was gone.

_And I'm dying too. Everyone I've killed will die with me._ She shuddered, and this time she was sure it wasn't the frame bug compromising her system. _What can I do, Masuyo-chan? Isn't there some way I can make up for what's happened? For Codey-kun, Roll-san, all of you? Can I make it up to Papa?_

'_You _can_ make peace, Imi, but not necessarily with Papa,'_ said Masuyo. _'If you're not at peace with yourself, Papa can never forgive you.'_

She waved her hands through the gap where Codey had been. _You're right. Even if I could make things better, Papa may never take me back. He won't be able to save me, but I can do something for myself…_ She laughed. _For you, my conscience._

'_I've only been waiting here for weeks, hoping you could come to terms with yourself,'_ said Masuyo._ 'That you can realize it now, on the brink of death, means without a doubt that you're ready to forgive yourself, but we can't do that here, nor in any of the other foreign places you've been.'_

_Not here? Then where?_

Even though she was a figment, Imi could feel Masuyo's beaming smile upon her. _'I've always been a part of you, Imi, and that part's ready to come back now, to return…'_

And that smile formed itself on Imi's own lips. Not one of joy or happiness. It was a smile that showed promise and hope…

…and the possibility, after many long weeks, of relief. Imi proudly bore that smile, for it was the last shred of hope she had left for her soul.

"It's time to go home."


	23. Being Human

Well, it's been almost two months since the last chapter. I can say that working on this final installment was extremely difficult work, and I think at last I have it kind of right. I hope so. I can say that the nature of the chapter is not what I originally conceived of, but the final result is consistent with what I outlined, almost ten months ago now.

If you don't happen to catch my note at the end of the second afterword, folks, let me thank you all for reading and reviewing. I hope I've crafted this story well and brought forth the emotions that make us all human.

-Muphrid, 2009 June 19

**Chapter Twenty: Being Human**

She went home.

And all the city followed her. Neighbors and policemen gathered around the dome, and red and blue strobe lights captured their actions in still frames. They watched a caravan of cars arrive at the scene, and a boy in a blue bandana stepped forth. He fanned out his battle chips, inspected them one by one, and when he found they passed muster, he nodded to the woman in a salmon-colored business dress.

"This is Manabe: launch the dimensional area!"

From starry night and wispy clouds, a beam of light pierced the sky and draped the house and block around it in rainbow hues. The boy held out a device—a chunk of wires and circuits and metal—and inserted a single chip. A white energy engulfed him, and he became one with his navi. Armor assembled itself over his clothes, and he gained the instincts and prowess of a battle-hardened warrior.

And along with those traits, he fortified his resolve.

"Imi!" he called to the darkness. "Come out here! Come face us!"

At the second-story window, a pair of curtains closed, heralding her acceptance. The crowd buzzed and whispered. "She's coming!" they said. "There's going to be a fight!" they said. These rumors and innuendos fed on one another. "The murderer will pay!" said a voice. "Kill the monster before she kills us all!"

The cries echoed and reflected; they showered the block in noise, a ruckus that soon rearranged itself. From inharmonious discord emerged the haunted melody of a sad lament, shouted at full volume—a screeching harmony to drown out all thought, all hope.

A song a choir sings when its conductor dies.

"Saito-kun?"

Brown. Fake wood, plastic. Creamy walls, light and dark blue tile. A giant whiteboard on the far wall, and a woman in teal and purple with brown curls looking closely at him.

"You should try not to sleep in my class, Saito-kun," said Oozono Mariko. "You're getting as bad as your brother."

The other children in the class—including Yaito at his front, Netto to the right, and Meiru at the corner—stared at him.

"I'm sorry," said Saito. "It won't happen again."

Mariko smiled wanly, concern in her eyes. "I hope not." She straightened her skirt and cleared her throat. "Well, class, shall we continue the lesson?"

"_Hai!_" came the unified response.

But as attentions returned to calligraphy and penmanship, Hikari Saito slumped at his desk and closed his eyes. He was back at the battle, his last meeting with Imi, and the crater in the ground that he and Netto left behind, where blue dust hung in the air and sparkled in the sun. That was when he knew he'd avenged Roll, killed Imi, and ended the madness that trailed in her wake, yet for some reason, reasons he could not explain, dreams of victory haunted his sleep.

Perhaps it was the price…of his humanity.

**1**

Saito watched Netto and Meiru head home together that day. He himself served a brief detention for his napping in class, but Mariko-sensei let him off a bit early. "It's not my teaching that's making you have nightmares, is it?" she joked. Of course, she knew the reasons; most of their friends did. All it took was a PET or a kid with a camera-phone, and the whole world watched as Hikari Netto pointed a spoked cannon at his opponent…

…and obliterated her with a Hyper Burst. So much for Imi.

That Netto had a lost twin return, that Rockman hadn't been seen since, wasn't lost on anyone, either. Few people came out and said it, but Saito suspected they knew, if only by the way he talked, the closeness he enjoyed with Netto.

Well, that he _used_ to enjoy, anyway. Even when they walked to school in the morning, the elder Hikari hung back while Netto and Meiru took the lead. They knew the route, after all, but Saito wished he had someone beside him to talk to. All the better if she were pink and bubbly and smiled compulsively.

That was why he went to the grave.

Of course, it wasn't a grave _per se_. The marble monument marked the resting place of neither bones nor ashes. Meiru contemplated burying her PET underneath, but she decided to keep it in her desk instead. Besides, the monument wasn't just for Roll.

"To the victims of Imi, also known as Echo. May the dead find peace, be they human or navi."

A simple inscription, yet Saito made a fist every time he read it. Roll deserved something more, but here they lumped her in with all the others—with Imi, too. The inscription wished peace not just for her victims for but Imi as well, a peace she'd never earned.

_She murdered and tortured Roll-chan; she tormented everyone, including me. It'd be better if she walked the earth for the next ten thousand years than if she found "peace."_

He sat on the step and shook his wrist, letting his hand (and his fist) wobble free. He wasn't there to get angry. He needed someone to talk to, someone not his brother, and this mottled marble slab was all he had, the last physical manifestation of Roll, and it called to him.

"_Rockman!"_

Call it imagination or wishful thinking. Call it the petty delusions of a boy turned navi and back again, but he heard her—in that instant before the Hyper Burst deleted Imi and carved a pit in the street down to the sewers beneath, he _heard_ her. She cried his name, and maybe it was a trick of the mind or Imi's last gambit to save her own life, but at minimum, he had to know if it was real. Strike that—he _knew_ it was real, but try as he might, no one he knew would affirm it. Netto said he heard Imi. Meiru was too far away, as was Yuuichirou.

"But I know you spoke to me, Roll-chan." The name sounded foreign to him, spoken with Netto's voice and tone, not his own. He shaded a section of the monument and studied his reflection—ruffled brown hair, hazel eyes. A blue vest and a missing bandana distinguished him from Netto, but that was all.

"I guess I'm not your Rockman anymore," he said. "I haven't been since you died." He frowned. When exactly did she die? Did Imi pull the trigger…or Netto and Rockman? He knew something of her survived within Imi, a presence that was real and every bit believed she was Roll.

That presence rejected him, though. He touched Imi one more time and saw everything. "You're worse than her!" she'd said. "You call her a monster, but it's wrong! She can pretend to have an excuse—that she was just a little girl and everything inside her broke when her papa sent her away—but what excuse do you have, Rockman? What is it?"

He shook his head. "Maybe you weren't real after all; maybe none of it was real! You can't call me a monster! All I wanted was to do right by you…"

He ran his fingers through his hair—hair he wouldn't even have, were it not for his father's determination and Roll's death.

"Nobody remembers you without thinking of Imi-chan," he said. "She's an affront to your good name, to your memory." He frowned. "Maybe I could never change that."

—

Meiru once told him the best way to remember Roll was to live and move on. Was that what she was trying to do with Netto? It sure looked it, the way she clung to him, snuck her hand into his when others weren't looking.

Or even when they were—like now, at Yaito's mansion. It was a party, you see. Nothing so tasteless as her last gala, to celebrate the supposed death of Echo. This was just a party to make people feel good, and dancing and swimming and eating made people feel good, didn't it?

Saito stared at a plate of asparagus and beef stroganoff. Netto wolfed it down, and Meiru sliced precise pieces of her vegetables. In truth, eating still unsettled him. In cyberspace, the few times he'd tried virtual foods they were neat and orderly, but reality was sloppy. Brown and clear juices intermingled with no clear borders, and oil pooled in scattered bubbles on the surface. He closed his eyes, chewed, and swallowed. Much easier to ignore the look of food when you shovel it down.

It certainly made Netto look like a genius, anyway. Of course, despite his elder brother's warnings, Netto let Meiru drag him to the dance floor, and Saito chewed the fat with Netto's friends—Yaito, Dekao, Tohru, Shuuko.

And their navis. Naturally the navis amused themselves in their own ways; such was the convenience of the cyberworld. They could play soccer, watch a net battle in Internet City, and listen to a new band at the music hall, all in the span of ten or fifteen minutes! As limited as their experiences might have been, they possessed a special freedom and pushed the limits of their reality, made it theirs. Not like the real world. Saito couldn't just walk out of this party and go home. Well, he _could_, but if they wanted, Netto and Meiru could catch one of Yaito's limos and catch him before he made it halfway there. Travel over fiberoptic cables or wireless might not have been instantaneous, but compared to lightspeed, this walking around thing was like standing still.

Yet it could also settle nerves more easily than sitting around. Saito excused himself from the table, and as the humans chatted away, Aquaman sprayed Gutsman with a jet of water, keeping his outstretched arms at bay. That was how navis played tag, and Saito remembered it well. Roll was exceptional at it, for her antennae reached into spaces that stymied hands and feet. Rockman, of course, had little more than his buster to repel potential taggers, and that always struck him as profound overkill. He would dodge and roll and weave, just as he did across the banquet hall, until he reached a quiet, peaceful passageway.

"I thought you'd be enjoying the festivities."

Saito whirled. A pair of cold blue eyes stared back at him.

"Enzan? I didn't know you were in town."

"My actions during the Echo affair are under review. I decided to come back home, visit a friend."

"Ah," said Saito. "Well, it's good to see you!" He spotted the red PET in Enzan's hand and the projection that hovered over the boy's shoulder. "You too, Blues. I'm glad to see you're well again."

"Thank you, Saito-san. Your sentiment is appreciated."

Saito laughed. "I don't think you have to call me that. I'm still Rockman."

Blues lifted his head, as if to stare, but whether he did or didn't, his visor obscured his eyes.

_Well, that's Blues all right._ "So," said Saito, "you're here to visit Netto-kun?"

"Yes and no." Enzan hovered at the doorway to the banquet room, peeking inside. "To tell the truth, I wanted to speak to Ayanokouji."

"Yaito-chan? Really?"

"You know, she helped me when I was looking for Nakamura-hakase in Choina."

"Ah, that's right," said Saito. "I remember. Why did he run?"

"Why did he ever run?" asked Enzan. "The man's a consummate coward. At the first mention of Imi back in Japan, he bolted from our car into the night. I spent a good half an hour trying to track him down before I called Ayanokouji and had her do it for me." He smirked. "She was supposed to dismantle the whole system. I'm glad she didn't." His bout of good humor drained away, however, and he stood in the doorway, fingering his PET. "I wish you and Netto could've waited. We were almost there, you know."

"There wasn't much choice. She attacked, and—"

"Yes, yes, I know, I know. You did what you thought was right; you ended her then and there." He folded his arms, leaned back on the doorframe, and sighed. "Contrary to popular belief, I don't like deleting navis."

"Really, Enzan?"

"Really. I know you've been through a lot with Netto. The same goes for Blues and me. Some people can get by treating navis as tools. We both know that's an insult to the navi and a poor mark on the person who operates him. Call Imi a child, a deranged program, or whatever you like—she should've faced justice for her actions. We should've held her accountable if we could've."

"But we couldn't," said Saito. "And we _did_ bring her to justice."

Enzan's glare froze him. "Don't confuse what's necessary with what's just. I don't question your judgment or Netto's. All I _am_ saying is that had you contained her a bit longer, she would be alive now—in prison, yes, but alive. Enough people died, humans and navis, because of Echo." Enzan tapped his PET. "Blues almost did. Who knows? Maybe Roll could've been saved if—"

Saito shoved him against the wall and pinned Enzan there. "Don't you _dare_ say that about Roll-chan! If she were alive now, everything would be different, you understand? Everything!"

Enzan struggled and coughed, a rare time in Saito's memory when he found the normally cool and collected boy at a loss.

"Nii-san, enough!" Netto and Yaito marched from the doorway. Netto broke Saito's hold on Enzan, wrapping him up and walking him down the hall, but Yaito hung back with Enzan, dusting him off.

"What were you doing?" asked Netto. "What did he say?"

"It's nothing!" said Saito.

Netto narrowed his eyes. "Sure, it's 'nothing.' Come on, what did he say?"

"That Roll-chan would be alive! That if we hadn't shot Imi-chan…"

Netto's expression softened. "I should've known he'd bring up Roll."

"How's that?"

"He's like that: insensitive. Just look at him."

Yaito dragged Enzan by the wrist into the banquet hall, and the stoic Net Savior's mouth hung open in confusion.

"He doesn't look that insensitive now," said Saito. "Even Enzan has Yaito-chan."

His brother made a face. "You're kidding."

"I'm not. It's more than I have."

"That's not true; you've got me."

"You've got Meiru-chan."

Netto squirmed.

"You can't deny it, either," said Saito.

"I won't deny it, but I'll tell you this as a brother, okay? You need to let her go."

"But Netto-kun—"

"She's dead! I know! I was there; we were both there. The thing is…well, you're still alive. We both are. Just look out there—people are dancing; they're alive!"

Saito squinted. "It looks like Dekao is making a move on Meiru-chan."

"Eh?" Netto peered into the ballroom, where the Oyama boy beckoned to the red-haired girl across the dance floor. "Well," said Netto, "I'll get him for that later. _We_ can get him for that, yeah?"

"I don't know, Netto-kun. I can't just give up on Roll-chan."

"Why not?"

"Because…I don't know. She did so much, and I didn't notice it until she was gone. She got so excited, and I didn't understand until…"

"They're memories, nii-san. I'm not asking you to forget."

"But there's something else, too!" said Saito. "I feel like she was trying to tell me something."

"When?"

"Before we killed Imi-chan."

"That's impossible."

"Maybe when she touched us!"

"I didn't hear anything."

"Then right after!" said Saito. "As the shot was fired, she—"

"Rockman!"

Over Netto's shoulder, in the far corner of the hallway, a pair of green eyes shot from the darkness.

"Oh my…"

Her hand reached out. It wanted to touch him, to hold him.

"Roll-chan? Is that…?"

She nodded and smiled, waved him over to her.

"Nii-san, what is it?" asked Netto.

"Don't you see?" Saito crept down the hall, then walked, then ran. He looked her in the eye, brushed his fingers over her cheek, and grasped her hand in his. "She's real, Netto-kun! She's here!"

The younger brother frowned. "Nii-san—"

"It's Roll-chan!" he called over his shoulder. "Don't you see? It's Roll—"

It's air.

Saito's limbs dangled, as if frozen in pose, caressing an invisible woman.

"I think we should go home," said Netto.

"No! She was here! She…"

She emerged from Imi, stretched her arm to him, called his name, and the Hyper Burst blew her away.

"It was the same as that night," Saito realized. "She wanted to tell me something, one last thing before she died…again."

"Are you all right?" asked Netto.

Saito nodded. He inhaled and exhaled, the recovered memory still fresh in his mind. "I'll be fine. Let's go back the party."

**2**

Being human meant knowing when to act, more so than when he was a navi—at least PETs had mute buttons. Saito summoned all his will to smile when addressed, to nod and laugh when called for, and to say nothing more about the apparition, the memory, of Roll.

But was it real? Not the image he saw in the hallway—Netto never saw her, and she disappeared as soon as he turned away. He knew that wasn't real, but he could question his own sanity later. If the tape didn't bear out his memories, then he'd worry.

After they returned home and went to bed, he snuck from his room, _their_ room, and hunched over the downstairs terminal. Typing. Such an inefficient interface. If only for the days when he could think it and the net would search itself! Of course, he found the videos quickly enough; finding the _right_ videos would take some time.

All a matter of resolution, really. Plenty of people that night had their PETs out; before now, Saito wondered why. They called Imi out, after all. Netto did, rather. When she walked down the steps, the people in the crowd must've known what would happen.

"Hyper Burst!" A flash of light, and she was gone.

He slowed the footage, played it frame by frame. The blue-white stream enveloped Imi within two or three stills, not enough time for Imi to morph into Roll's image and cry his name. There had to be some other explanation.

She did touch them again. What if Roll called to him not in reality but through the conduit of Imi's fingers?

He shook his head. It was _possible_; Imi picked herself up and charged forward, but she armed herself with neither sword nor cannon. The Hyper Burst took long enough to power up; she should've struck! Or shielded herself—_something_.

Was she really so intent to speak her piece?

Did she risk her own life to do it?

—

"You're dreaming. It was a trick."

Saito stood up and pressed the side of his fist on the glass. "Are you sure, hakase?"

Nakamura Hideki tugged at his orange jumpsuit. "I don't know. I never knew anything with that gi—that _navi_, all right? You think it was that Roll of yours trying to speak to you? Fine. You think it was Imi screwing with your head? Fine. I only programmed her. I didn't make her who she is. Who she was."

Saito sighed. He tapped the mute button on the panel beside him and looked around the room. Net Police officers stood guard at the entrance, and other visitors spoke with the inmates at their own stations.

Such was the fate of Nakamura—incarcerated for his escapades in Ameroupe, illegal research, and a host of other international crimes. Saito thought some of the charges unjust. After all, he may have created Imi, and perhaps his flight perpetuated more harm than there should've been, but he'd hurt no one directly. To think cowardice was a crime worthy of years in prison…

But Nakamura never fought his charges. He accepted them, pled guilty, and let the nations of the world pass him around to snipe at his credibility and character as they saw fit. In the end, the only choice he made was which sentence to serve first. He returned to Japan, and this morning, after Yaito's party the night before, he had a visitor in Hikari Saito.

"You know," said Hideki, "I'd hoped I could get a few years knocked off for helping your father. Guess that was a bit much to ask, huh?"

"Papa is grateful for your help, hakase," said Saito, "and so am I."

"Funny way you have of showing it." He rested his elbows on the table and leaned into the microphone. "Anything else you have to say?"

"You almost didn't come back to Japan with Enzan, did you?"

Nakamura's gaze froze the air between them. "I stared down a thirty-story building and wondered how long it'd be before I hit terminal velocity on the way down."

"But why did you do it? Why did you try? Because of Imi-chan?"

"Boy, it wasn't just Imi…"

—

"_It _did_ all start with Masuyo, you know." Nakamura sat atop the wrought iron railing, gazing at tiny cars and pedestrians below._

"_Perhaps you'd like to come back from there," said Enzan. "I can make some tea; we can discuss this more thoroughly."_

_Hideki glared. "I'm not stupid. I know what I'm doing."_

"_Really? It looks like you're about to commit suicide."_

"_Have you ever seen a child die, Enzan-kun?"_

"_A human child or a navi that looked like one?"_

"_Does it make a difference?"_

_Enzan sighed. "Not directly, no."_

"_How's that?"_

"_There have been battles I've been in where I heard, much later, that people died. Children too."_

"_Masuyo died right in front of me," said Hideki. "One minute she was there, then she closed her eyes, and she was gone." He extended his arms, releasing the metalwork beneath him. "I held her like this; I felt her warmth, but something had already left her. It may have left long before then."_

"_Come down from there," said Enzan. "You're making me nervous."_

_Hideki averted his gaze, grabbing the iron crossbars with one hand. "I've caused enough death. My wife died to have our child. Masuyo hung on as long as she did for me, and Imi and Codey? I created them for me. Not for Masuyo, not for anyone else. I made them to service my needs. Codey died for that, and Imi—it drove her mad. I'm a hard man to please, after all. Too difficult to be a father. I know that now."_

"_So it's better if you die."_

_He chuckled. "There's nothing better about it."_

"_That's pointless. Your suicide will accomplish nothing."_

_He stared at him, uncertain. "I don't want to be here when she dies…"_

"_Then don't let her die!"_

"_Don't let her…" He blinked. "What are you saying? You fought her! You've seen what she's done! Are you honestly telling me she shouldn't die?"_

"_Yes!" said Enzan. "If she just falls apart, you'll have taken the easy way out. You'll have avoided all of your problems and done nothing to remedy them. Tell me you can die satisfied with that, and I'll push you over the ledge myself."_

_Hideki scanned the skyline, from the lights of civilization to the dark sectors that Imi snuffed out that day. "You think I can fix her?"_

"_I think you should try," said Enzan. "You owe your daughter that much."_

_His head snapped forward. "My daughter?" He looked into space, considering. "You're right. I owe my daughter a lot. In her time, she gave me great happiness."_

"_And it'd be a shame to let her die in vain."_

"_There's no vanity involved. My work isn't done…" Hideki pulled his leg back over the railing, and his two feet planted on solid ground once more. "I have a mistake to correct."_

"_What's left of your laptop is still here," said Enzan. "We can gather the fragments and go at once."_

_Hideki frowned, unsettled. "I don't think I need that, but…if I had…"_

"_Oh." Enzan turned out his pockets, revealing a cracked, dented PET. "The workers found it about an hour after we left. I had them send it on, in case you wanted it."_

_Hideki smiled and dusted off the case. "It's been through a lot," he said. "As we all have." Sliding it into his own pocket, he said, "I think this'll do fine. This is all Imi will need."_

—

"I'm sorry we didn't give you the chance," said Saito.

"Are you sorry she's dead?"

"Am I…?" He blinked, at a loss.

"It's a simple question."

Saito looked down, at the table. "No, I'm not."

"Neither am I," said Hideki. "In fact, I'm glad you did it before I got there."

"Imi-chan deserved what she got," said Saito, "but…I think it would've been better if you could've seen her one more time. That's what you wanted to do, right? See your daughter again?"

Hideki shot up and glared. "Get one thing straight: she is _not_ my daughter, and don't you dare ever say otherwise again."

"All right, all right," said Saito. "Let me ask you something else, then: you say Imi-chan wanted to trick me, but what would that do?"

"Distract you. It's working, isn't it? You're distracted now."

"Imi-chan's already dead."

"Her tactic worked a little too late, huh?" He laughed darkly. "That's Imi, you know. She thought things through, but not all the way. That's just part of why she was broken."

Saito frowned.

"What's the matter? You run out of questions?"

"No, it's just…I think I expected you to be more on her side."

"Because I made her? Get a grip, boy. Just because someone made you or gave birth to you doesn't mean they're obligated to like you. It doesn't mean they have to love you. It may be good for the perpetuation of the species, but it's not a law of nature. I judge Imi by her actions. Your parents, your brother, anyone you care about should judge you by yours. It's only fair."

"What about you?"

Nakamura pulled on the fabric of his jumpsuit. "I think I've been judged plenty."

—

But who judged Nakamura Hideki? The world, his creations, or himself?

And who judged Hikari Saito?

Without a doubt Nakamura judged himself, and Saito couldn't fathom why he condemned himself so harshly, but the fact of the matter was that he did, and if he hated himself so, he must've found his imprisonment just. In the end, everyone has to find a way to live with themselves and what they've done. That was something navis and humans had in common.

Becoming human hadn't changed that for Saito, either. On the way home from the prison, he caught sight of a news screen, where Dingo and Nenji fended off the latest substantiated threat to Japan. It was good to see them up and about after Imi'd debilitated them.

It was even better to see their new recruits: R Woodman and R Skullman covered their flanks. A just reward for Saloma and Miyuki; they'd trained hard to get up to speed with Cross Fusion, and Netto and Saito had donated no small portion of their own time with tricks and pointers for the pair. Miyuki, at least, benefitted greatly from Netto's experience, but Saloma, it seemed, was a more visual learner, and since Saito's revival, that was something neither brother could help her with.

In truth, her first real attempt at Cross Fusion had been less than successful. When Imi returned to Japan, she wandered the streets, for reasons few knew to that day. Some said she visited the casino, where Ikeda and Rouletteman used to run their games, but the guards themselves told Saito it was rumor, nothing more. A navi did come to see Ikeda that night, but not even his own men had seen him, not for quite some time, and rather than break into the office like Imi—like _Echo_ surely would—the strange navi walked away.

One place they knew she'd been, though, was Saloma's shop. "I arrived around 4:30," Saloma had said. "I needed to do some arrangements, get them ready before dawn. I think it was a wedding, but I don't remember.

"I found her on the counter. She said it was strange because she remembered what happened from two different perspectives—her own and Egami-chan's. When she knocked me into the wall. When she put the sword into Egami-chan…"

She cleared her throat, drank a cup of water, and started again. "She thought maybe I'd forgive her; that if she apologized, it might make it right. 'Not all the way,' she said, 'but partway.' I wouldn't stand for it. I called in for a dimensional area; it was my first time in Cross Fusion outside the lab. She just stood there, looked at me, and smiled. Said Egami-chan would be proud. That's when she jumped into a hole and ran away, and I didn't even get a shot off."

At the time, Saito had paid little attention to Imi's role in Saloma's story. That his and Netto's old allies might now replace them…

It was the biggest obstacle he'd had left to becoming human: to give up the responsibility, the missions. The battling and tournaments—they were sport, and they were fun, but being a Net Savior had defined them. Netto hesitated to let go, but Saito was firm: never again could he let his own weakness cost a life. However indirectly, however faultless he might be, Roll died for him. Maybe someday he could learn to trust himself with another's life, but for the moment, he chose humanity, and Netto, the consummate brother, supported him.

Didn't make it easy to watch others save the world while he gave up.

But yearning for things he couldn't fix came later. He went back to Saloma's story… "She thought maybe I'd forgive her; that if she apologized, it might make it right." More of Imi's ludicrous beliefs and self-delusions. Perhaps some misguided idealist in the world felt compassion for Imi and blamed her deeds on the many minds that sang to her. Such explanations were delicious tidbits of psychoanalytical drivel and nothing more. _He_ alone touched Imi and survived (well, Netto did too, but not until the end, mind); he knew she regretted her actions, but that never stopped her. She reveled in misery, piled on the self-loathing with each kill. How could she think herself deserving of sympathy?

"_I owe you a lot, don't I, Rockman-san?"_

With the afternoon's escapades finished, Saito headed for home, for dinner with the family. Yuuichirou stayed home more often now, and after the initial shock of seeing her twin boys walk in the front door, Haruka quickly embraced Saito, even after realizing that he embodied the Rockman of before. Thus, the happy family ate together every night, with smiles all around.

After the meal, Netto dashed next door to see Meiru, presumably about homework. Saito declined to join them, however. Instead, he pulled up a video on Netto's computer, something he watched from time to time when he needed to think.

"Roll-san still wants to help you, but I don't know what we can do, what I can do before…" Imi trembled and stuttered. She pressed her hand against the glass—the cylindrical wall of the water tank, the one that held Saito's body—and curled her fingers into a ball, leaning for support. A green glow from the twin tanks permeated the dark lab.

_She almost looked sick._

Imi straightened out her blouse and skirt, left Saito's body for a moment to look at the other tank. "I hope Papa can revive you, Masuyo-chan. He always needed you…not me. I was just there to keep you going."

Saito stared bleakly. It wasn't more than a couple weeks ago that they wheeled Masuyo's tank into cold storage, to freeze for the rest of time. No one felt comfortable destroying it, yet they couldn't raise her either—her mind was blank, and without Nakamura or someone else to feed it knowledge, consciousness, a soul of some kind…she would rot and wither and die again.

Imi went back to Saito's tank, but he tapped fast-forward on the video. He didn't like that part. He skipped to the end, where Manabe and Meijin broke down the door to the lab and surrounded Imi with Net Police officers.

"Stay right there, Echo," said Manabe. "We have deconstruction devices."

"You're awfully brave to face me," said Imi, "knowing what I can do to you. Humans are so soft, fragile…"

She spread her arms, and Mach Bursts knocked the officers into the walls. Meijin tossed a marble at her feet, but she shielded herself behind a Dream Aura, absorbing the energy of the deconstruction device.

"You don't need to worry," she said, approaching them. "Roll-san and Masuyo-chan won't let me hurt you. I'm not here to do that."

"Netto-kun and Rockman will come," said Manabe. "They'll stop you—whatever it is you're doing."

Imi stopped at the stairs, her back to both of them. "Then tell Rockman-san I'm going home. The two of us still have something to resolve." She hiked up the stairs, and the video halted on the last frame.

It was all a lie, of course. She said Roll and Masuyo could control her, but she still attacked them, didn't she? She assaulted the officers, threatened the lives of civilians who came to watch her die. That's all she wanted to do—make misery before she passed on for good.

But there was the short section of video he'd skipped over, the part he didn't like to watch. He didn't like avoiding it; Netto, after watching it once, urged him to reconsider, and it was for Netto's sake—not Nakamura's ramblings or sympathy for Imi—that he rewound the footage, played it again.

She left Masuyo's tank, stood before Saito's, and glanced downward, at the nameplate. "I know this isn't you," she said. "I think I've hurt you more than anyone else. I took Roll-san away, and you still feel responsible, don't you?"

_Because I made her go to you with something to prove. I _am_ responsible._

"In my own way, I feel responsible, too. That you and Netto-san ran away. That you made that navi Sim-san. And then you and Netto-san and the train…"

_You don't have to list them! I remember!_

"I'm really sorry," she said. "I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to handle my own problems, that I felt like I had to kill Grove-san and the others and involved you. You and Roll-san were always kind to me."

_Then why did you kill her? Why did you take her away?_

"I know you probably won't, but can't you…won't you…?"

Saito's body tensed. His nails dug into his palms; he gritted his teeth. "Don't say it, Imi-chan…"

"Won't you forgive me? So I can die in peace? So you can live again?"

"It's not that easy!" said Saito.

"Roll-san hopes you would. Then things would be like they were…"

"No, you're wrong!" BANG! His knuckles smashed the screen, cracking the monitor from the center outward. "Forgiving you won't bring Roll-chan back!" BANG! "Why should I forgive you when I can't even forgive myself?" BANG BANG BANG!

"Saito!" Yuuichirou rushed into the room and restrained his son, but the battered monitor crumpled on the table. Hikari Saito held his hands out and stared as blood dripped over glass, with tiny fragments lodged in his skin.

"They're coming for me." Though Saito snuffed out her image, Imi's voice carried through the speakers, over the sporadic beating of fists against the lab's steel door. "You're coming too, aren't you?"

"I was," said Saito. "I was coming for you…"

Yuuichirou shook the boy. "Come on, son. You're bleeding badly; we should get you to a doctor."

"Navis don't bleed, Papa. They get damaged, but they don't…really…"

The boy collapsed into his father's arms, his blood staining the pristine white labcoat.

**3**

"Now try not to scratch, you understand?"

Saito nodded, and the emergency room doctor stepped outside, leaving Yuuichirou and Haruka to watch closely as a nurse instructed them in the changing of his bandages. To Saito's dismay, the pale, sickly lighting of a hospital wasn't unfamiliar—nor, he knew through Netto, was the pungent odor of rubbing alcohol. They'd spent a lot of time in these rooms: with Meiru once, when their Charge Shot blasted a hole in the side of a hotel and flung a two-inch steel pipe at her head. Then with Netto, to recover from the almost-lethal levels of pain he fed him during his death-defying battle with Imi. Both times he bore responsibility, and with this injury to his hands, that hadn't changed.

Mauled them pretty good he did. That was the interesting thing about humans. Navis would cut and gash cleanly, but humans gush blood—it pulses out of them with every beat of the heart. To compare how navis lose data with a human bleeding out would be an insult to both of them. With a navi, even a nick to the knee could let precious memories slip away. Perhaps it was worse for humans, though, who had to live with the pain and slow-healing wounds.

"Ready, nii-san?"

And not all of them were wounds of the body, either. They were the most obvious, of course. What you can see usually is. Just as he imagined the would-be scars on his hands, Saito looked out the car window, glimpsed the midnight cityscape, and saw voids floating among the lights. The gaps were dead parts of the city, sections that runaway viruses or substantiated beasts damaged or destroyed while he and Netto were gone, while others tried to cover for the responsibility they—_he_—abdicated, a duty he felt he could no longer fulfill, not with Roll's blood on his hands.

Nor with his own. But behind the gaps in the city lights, there was some other presence, some unseen effect. Netto and Rockman had never really come back home, and while others might assume their mantle, no one would take their place.

The voids sang to him. They drowned out the radio and his parents' hushed questions. They dwarfed his brother's whispers between point and counterpoint. Like an opera in the night, with two sopranos dueling to higher pitches and volume. They wanted different things. One screamed for death, and the other…

He blinked, and it was gone, but he grabbed his brother's arm, and as the pair left the car for their room, he dared utter the truth of the matter for the only time that night.

"I think Imi-chan did something to me."

—

And based solely on faith in his brother, Netto let Saito out of the house that afternoon, despite their parents' stern instructions.

"What do you think you'll find?" asked the younger brother.

A legitimate question, to which Saito had no answer. "Things haven't been right since we killed her, Netto-kun. That's all I know."

"It could be…you know…"

"All in my head?"

"I didn't say that."

And after being linked in the mind for more than a few weeks, Saito knew better than to read into what his brother never said. Few others could appreciate just how much a person could hold back—and for good reason, too.

"Don't you ever think about it, though?" asked Saito.

"All the time."

"What do you see?"

"I _hear_…singing."

Later, on a bus across town, Saito tapped on the window, vindicated. _Roll-chan did try to tell me something—tried to tell _us_ something._

And maybe, even after death, she still was. The least he owed her was a chance to speak her mind, one last time, but what could she say? "Congratulations, Rockman, on killing Imi-chan and avenging my death?" Even the thought of such words coming from her mouth unsettled him.

To ferret out the answer, Saito hopped off the bus about a kilometer from the Nakamura house—the closest point he could reach before he slammed into road work…or the gaping pit in the ground that laid bare sewage pipes and cables beneath the street.

_We really did a number on her, didn't we._

The workers in the pit gave the boy a hard time for hanging around such a dangerous area, but Saito waved his old Net Savior badge to silence them. With the workers pacified, Saito hovered at the edge, contemplating the damage he and Netto had wrought.

_No answers here. Maybe there's something inside._

On that hunch, Saito hiked up the walkway to the wooden house and scanned his PET at the lock. The door swung open, and a dark, musky interior greeted him, a sensation both foreign…yet familiar.

Saito inspected the dining room table. A thin layer of dust collected on the surface, but a streak broke the layer. _She touched this. Masuyo-chan used to sit in this chair._ He looked beyond, to the far edge. _And her father across from her._

A third seat stood apart, at an oblique angle with the other two.

_And the empty spot for the mother._

Saito recoiled, stumbling over a chair leg. _How do I…? I shouldn't know that._

Faced with this small conundrum, the boy abandoned the kitchen, passed the staircase, and searched the living room. Saito wondered idly what Sunday morning anime Masuyo watched, whether Imi and their father joined her here and kept an eye not on the television screen but on the little girl in her wheelchair, making sure she didn't falter or slip…

He looked to the stairwell. A small scuff mark marred the first step, and scratches abraded the railing.

_She had an attack here, from the frame bug._

Saito knew full well how devastating those attacks could be. He witnessed Nakamura's tests, his unrepentant destruction of countless viruses to ensure the bug's effectiveness. Strange that he would go to such lengths to kill her; he made her, after all. It wasn't his job to stop her, to make her writhe helplessly as her body failed her mind.

_How sad. She did everything in the hope he would take her back, but it's not enough to see yourself as a son or daughter. You have to do more, want more._

But she did want more, didn't she? She came home with a purpose, to "forgive herself," in Masuyo's words. She viewed this return to Japan as her mission, her penance, and coming back to the home where Nakamura created her was but the last leg, the final stretch.

And her path led upward, above the ground floor. Saito followed, tracing her steps to the master bedroom, where a rocking chair sat beside the window and schematics, mock-ups, images of the navis he could build adorned the desk and walls.

_Her brothers and sisters. Unborn children._

Spooky it was—to think of giving a face to someone who never lived. Saito shuffled the design drawings. Nakamura had enumerated the lengths and widths of each body part in pixels and labeled them with meticulous precision, but some of the sketches lay incomplete: even Imi's own design bore subtle differences to the finished product—extra stripes that Nakamura erased and a smaller headpiece, more like a party hat than the large dunce cap she usually wore.

_She wandered in and saw that, but she didn't like it. It felt too small. S_aito tossed the rest of the drawings on the desk. _Why do I know these things? Did you leave them inside me, Imi-chan?_

He stepped into the hall once more, and beneath the creaky floorboards, unseen voices whispered and mumbled in his wake, a chorus that, he was certain now, resided only in his mind. He ignored the noise, however. Like with Imi, this choir could only divert him from his purpose, distract him from his own thoughts. Unlike Imi, he was stronger. He need not succumb to their will.

He passed the stairwell and made for the other bedroom, whose door lay slightly ajar. Saito gripped the doorknob, but the brass slipped in his hands.

_This is where Masuyo-chan died._

Saito turned the knob…

…and the skeleton of Nakamura Masuyo greeted him with a bare-toothed grin.

"Gah!" Saito slammed into the doorframe and scampered to the hall, his chattering teeth the only sound in the house.

_Does she _have_ to be dead right in my face like that?_

Saito wiped his brow, pressed his hand against his jaw to suppress the chatter, and breathed.

"It's all in my head," he said. "All in my head. Not really there. Not a real skeleton, not a gho—" He shivered. "Not really really there. Not there."

He inched into the doorway, peeking beyond the threshold. The four-post bed lay empty.

_All right, that's more like it. Now, what do I see?_

What did he see? A little girl's room, perhaps.

A death chamber. A place for Imi to die like Masuyo did, with her body succumbing to illness and disease, and just as Masuyo sketched the world around her and taped the drawings to her walls, Imi walked the earth with her choir inside, a slave to dozens of needs and desires, and as she lay on Masuyo's bed, the very place where her operator died, not even the red and blue lights outside could stir her.

But one thing did. "Imi! Come out here! Come face us!"

Imi sat up, and with the multi-colored hues of the dimensional area dancing on the walls, Imi looked to her two prime councilors: Roll and Masuyo.

"It'll be easy," said Masuyo. "It'll be quick."

Imi turned her head, asking Roll, but the pink navi shied away and shook her head.

"I don't want to die, though. I haven't done anything to make up…"

Nevertheless, Imi hopped off the bed and trudged downstairs to meet her fate, and Saito followed.

_This is more than just a memory._

But if not merely memory, then what? What but the worst, most terrifying explanations could even begin to account for the visions they shared, the voices that swelled as Imi descended the steps? Hikari Saito followed the ghost of a dead navi, and when she swung open the front door, Saito met himself—met Netto, clad in Cross Fusion armor—on the far side of the area.

Netto thrust his arm forward, and the arm transformed into the Rockbuster. In his free hand, he held out a marble. "Your choice, Imi. You can stay here, wait for your father—"

"Papa? Papa's coming here?"

"He has the cure. He'll be here soon."

Imi's eyes widened. "Papa's coming to take me back…?"

"Imi, you can't rely on Papa to make everything better." Masuyo stepped from behind Netto, freezing Imi with her gaze. "There's no need to drag this out; you can end this right now."

"Masuyo-san, what are you doing?" Roll emerged as well. "She could be confined—"

"We can't maintain our hold on the choir forever," said Masuyo. "Listen."

True enough, dozens of blurred voices chattered and whispered, their words just indistinguishable.

"I know it's taxed me holding them at bay," said Masuyo. "And you, too, Roll. Imi may choose to live, to have Papa cure her of the frame bug, but it may be weeks, months, years before he can cure her of the voices. More than that, just because he fixes her doesn't mean he'll accept her. Imi doesn't need the power of a hundred navis to be destructive, even if only to herself."

Imi shuddered; her eyes searched the pavement, as if the ground might hold some wisdom for her.

_I don't envy you here, Imi-chan. Masuyo-chan is right—you wouldn't handle a cage well. You didn't before, and to think your father would forgive how you tried to kill him…._ Saito shook his head. _He wouldn't._

"It's up to you, Imi," said Masuyo. "What do you choose?"

"I—"

"Imi!" said Netto. "Choose!"

"I want to see Papa, but…"

The voices swelled, not just from within but without. The civilian spectators grew restless; they called and jeered and shouted, and with Roll and Masuyo no longer united, the choir they led lost the single voice to follow. They splintered and scattered, and their ghosts joined their operators and family members in the burgeoning riot as angry citizens pushed against police, lit branches and alcohol aflame. The city itself turned against little Imi and yelled at her from every corner.

"Die, Echo, die!"

"Imi, make a decision!" said Masuyo. "Imi!"

"Why won't they stop?" she murmured. "Why do they have to be so loud?"

"Imi!"

"Everyone, calm down!" Netto raced to the perimeter of the area, firing his buster to quiet the crowd, but the added noise shook Imi with every shot. "You've got to stay back here! Nobody's safe!"

Saito circled the girl, whose eyes darted left, right, and up, searching, wandering. Masuyo pleaded with her; Roll argued with Masuyo. The crowd roared, and Netto shouted over them. Buster shots and megaphones screeched and blared, a cacophony of sound.

"It's too loud here. Can't think…"

Roll and Masuyo met her gaze, paling.

"No, Imi-chan—"

"Imi, don't!"

"It needs to be quiet."

The street rumbled and shook.

"Everyone, back!" said Netto. "Move move—"

CRASH! A patrol car catapulted upward and crunched on the pavement. Thousands of stone spikes erupted skyward, and Imi, at the center of the mayhem, channeled the spires around her.

"That's enough, Imi!" said Netto.

The civilians scattered and ran for their lives. Even the police officers—and Meiru and Yuuichirou—ducked behind nearby vehicles in a vain attempt to shield themselves, but their antagonist ignored their pleas.

So Netto took aim. "I said _enough_!" Pew!

The shot stung Imi, rousing the navi from her trance of death.

"No more of this!"

Netto flung the deconstruction device, but on instinct, Imi deflected it with a Barrier.

"Fine," said Netto. "I'm not afraid. Nii-san's wanted this since Roll died, and me? I resisted. I held out for a long time, but now you're a threat to all these people, to Meiru and Papa…" The boy shook his head. "I won't let it pass now. I'll finish this."

_No, _we_ finished it._

Imi coughed and wallowed in the dirt. "I just don't know who to listen to anymore…"

Twin cannons formed on Netto's arms, round with stubby barrels. He raised them overhead, and the merged in a majestic glow, a power incredible. The sparkling rays outshone all other lights in the darkness—the glow of the dimensional area, the halogen streetlamps on the side of the street. The light blinded Imi and cast Netto fully in silhouette and shadow.

"Do you want to live, Imi-chan? Do you want another chance?"

Roll walked to the girl's side and crouched to her level, but Imi looked straight ahead, at her impending doom.

"I don't know how; I never knew—"

Roll pointed down the way. "You can ask them."

_What is she doing?_

"Netto-san and Rockman—you can trust them, always. If you can't listen to me or Masuyo-chan or all the others…" Roll waved her hand, and outside the dome, the dozens of souls Imi had claimed—Grove and Slateman, Rouletteman and Mazeman, Egami, and more—gathered to bear witness to their host's demise.

"If you can't listen to us, listen to them."

"I don't…I don't know." Imi quavered. "Papa couldn't forgive me, but maybe someone else could. I just need to know…"

The light came to a head; like a balloon, the slightest instability, the tiniest pinprick, would pop it.

"Hyper Burst!"

Imi scrambled upright and dashed for her attacker. "Netto-san, Rockman-san, tell me what to do!"

TEW!

A point-blank shot. Asphalt and cement splattered on the walls of the dimensional area, and smoke rose from the crater.

_It doesn't make sense. Why would Roll-chan ask her to touch us? What was that supposed to accomplish?_

"I thought maybe you would see."

On the far side of the pit, the image of Roll surveyed the battle damage.

_Is that…another illusion? Part of this vision, this—_

"No, Rockman." She walked around the crater, meeting his stunned and perplexed gaze. "Don't you remember? I've been trying to reach you."

The hand on his face at the party. The voice at the monument. All this time, she was alive! Inside him!

"I'm sorry," she said. "That's not what happened."

"Then what—"

"She was too close to you, Rockman. Even you and Netto-san, strong as you are—you wouldn't escape from that unscathed."

Saito blinked. "What are you saying? Am I—"

"Dead? No, I don't think so. I can't know what's going on out there, but look around. Listen. What do you see? What do you hear?"

He scanned the perimeter. Like with Imi, the faces of dead navis lined up outside the dome. They opened their mouths and whispered to him.

They sung.

"No!" said Saito. "It can't be! We killed her! She's dead, and we killed her!"

Roll gently shook her head.

"Didn't we?" asked Saito. "Didn't we?"

—

Alas, somewhere far away, it was still morning. Police officers and rioters alike crowded around the battle site and peered through haze and smoke. Unable to see over the edge, a man in a labcoat cupped his hands and called out to his son, to no avail, for at the bottom of the pit lay Hikari Netto, still clad in Rockman's armor, and little Imi clung tight to his arm, as if to dangle from the last thread of life itself.

**4**

"So Netto is still in contact with Imi."

"As far as we can tell," said Yuuichirou. "We've rushed Saloma and Woodman, Miyuki and Skullman to the scene; we didn't want to drop the area without knowing whether Netto was safe and Imi…"

"But she's still alive."

"Unconscious, we think. Saloma and Miyuki are clearing the rubble as we speak. When we get a clear look, we intend to separate Netto from Imi."

"Please, hakase, if you can, try not to disturb the situation too much before we arrive," said Enzan. "Nakamura-hakase and I are almost there, and I'd hate if everything went down the tubes with us just a few kilometers away."

"I must look out for my son, Enzan-kun."

"I wouldn't ask you not to. We'll see you in fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen minutes then."

The call cut out, and Enzan pocketed his PET and jogged down the tarmac. Between the runways, a helicopter idled in a grass median. Enzan jumped inside and donned protective headphones. As he buckled his seatbelt, he leaned next to the other passenger. "It'll just be a few minutes, hakase."

"Of course," said Hideki.

The helicopter lurched; the engines roared. Hideki winced.

Enzan pointed at the scientist's PET. "You have the cure there?"

"All on this chip," said Hideki, sliding it out of the case.

"That's good. If you can save her, you can give her a second chance, you know that?"

"Yeah. Second chance, all that."

"Won't be long now."

"No, it won't."

—

"She's alive, Rockman. That's where you are, in her mind."

Impossible! Inconceivable! To think he endured days, no weeks, of life as a human…he moved on! He put the past behind him, let go of Roll and Imi, and now at the apex of insanity, she tells him none of it was real at all? It was all delusion, a fantasy? What kind of fantasy was this madness? If the world around him were truly fake, then how could he trust his eyes? How could he trust _her_?

The street, the houses, the pit below—they closed in on him. The neighborhood shrunk like a man-trap, and on instinct, he did the only thing he could to escape it.

He ran.

"Rockman!"

No, no no no! Not Rockman anymore; Rockman was dead, and Imi killed him! She killed him all those weeks ago when her Charge Shot obliterated Roll, and what he and Netto did was just reversal, that's all!

"Rockman, stop!"

Stop for what? For a navi whose death he mourned twice over? Why should he stop again—to grieve over her grave a third time? Not a chance!

_Just get home,_ he told himself. _Get home, to Netto-kun, to Papa. They'll help me. They're family; they'll understand._

That their brother and son had lost his mind?

He clung to a pole at the bus stop and panted, checking the display overhead.

"Next bus: 10 minutes."

And in the distance, Roll stood on the sidewalk, watching him with her cold green eyes, like emerald beacons from the underworld.

"Gah!"

He fled, he dashed, he careened through the street, and car horns blared in his wake.

"Watch where you're going, kid! You trying to die out here?"

Die? No, of course not, that was years ago! He died as a baby, not now! Couldn't die now. As far as he was concerned, he was immortal! A rogue eighteen-wheeler could flatten him then and there, and his father would bring him back. That's what Papa always did. With Papa around, Saito could never die.

Even if he deserved it.

'_You do deserve it, don't you?'_

He cut a sharp corner and plowed into a bystander.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean—"

The stranger stood solid, her violet armor glinting in the morning sun.

"Didn't mean what?" asked Sim. "Didn't mean what, Rockman?"

He flinched; he backpedaled. "No, no! Imi-chan didn't touch you! You shouldn't be here!"

"But _you_ touched me," she said, taking his hand. "You touched me here…" She brought his fingers to her cheek. "And here…" To her hip.

"Sim-chan—"

She smirked. "You cut me down without a second thought."

Her arms severed at the shoulder and plopped on the sidewalk, disintegrating.

"You loved me, and you hurt me," she said, freezing him with her gaze as pedestrians scattered from the grisly slight, "and you did it all for _her_."

A storefront window reflected the focus of Sim's remark—Roll and the choir, staring at them.

Staring at him.

"Get away!" He shoved Sim aside and bolted, but the choir closed in. They marched from the alleyways, enveloped block after block behind him. Their funeral precession devoured and erased the pavement under their feet and draped the buildings beyond in abyssal shadow, a nightmarish void.

And Saito ran, not because it was logical or sensible. In truth, he knew not what else to do. To accept that he'd failed again, that Imi had taken him into her mind…. The thought revolted him. Unpalatable. Unacceptable.

'_Not the first time you've felt that way, Rockman.'_

He dashed down a side street.

Pew! A shot rang out, and a navi collapsed in the road. He crawled and clawed at the pavement, dragging himself and his severed leg behind him.

"Are you all right?" asked Saito, rushing to his side. "Tell me what happened!"

"What happened?" The navi grabbed his shoulder, grunting and groaning. "What do you _think_ happened?"

Brown eyes, golden armor, white fins on his back. Saito knew this navi all too well.

"Glyde? How?" Saito looked back, at the shooter…

…and saw himself, found Rockman, who stood poised with the Rockbuster, unflinching, unwavering.

"That's not how it was!" said Saito. "You're lying! It's wrong!"

"Every time someone died at Imi-chan's hands, we did wrong," said Rockman. "It started with Cardman; we failed him. We failed all of them, and each time someone died, each time she deleted another navi or navis died because we tried to stop her, I felt it. I still feel it. They all screamed, shouted, or cried when she slew them. Every last one of them, I bet. I feel their terror, but Roll-chan feels it more! She knows the horror they felt when they touched Imi-chan and she showed them exactly what she'd do to them! Do you think that's right? DO YOU THINK THAT'S FAIR?"

Saito turned away, as if blocking this memory from sight could soften its impact, its pervasive, pointed horror.

"Maybe it'd be better if you'd killed me for her sake," said Glyde. "Then you'd have a chance of seeing what you are now. You've done worse than just maim or murder, though, and you know it, too."

"What are you—"

"You want to go back to him?" asked Glyde.

"What?"

Honk-honk!

"Go back, Rockman!" said Glyde. "Go!"

Honk! A city bus and a dozen passengers idled in the street, and the driver peered over the wipers at the boy who blocked their path.

"Let me in!" Saito rapped on the door. "You've got to let me in!"

The glass panels gave, and Saito swiped his PET to pay the fare. The bus sped away, leaving Glyde, Rockman, and the ghosts of navis he'd failed in the dust.

_Ten minutes, and I'll be home._ Saito leaned against the window and sighed. _Papa can fix me, and Netto-kun—_

"Will be right by your side? Again?"

The younger Hikari gazed across the aisle, watching his brother.

"What are you doing here?" asked Saito.

"Looking for you. You wouldn't come home."

"I was…busy…"

Netto jerked his head aside. "Trying to find her?"

At the back of the bus, where Netto had indicated, sat Roll, and the rest of the passengers, the navis and people he failed, let die, filled the remaining seats.

"You can see her?" asked Saito.

"I see everything you see," said Netto. "We're connected, remember?"

Saito glanced about the bus cabin. For once, the choir was quiet, but their silence drowned the bus in an oppressive weight. It pushed on Saito's shoulders and pressed against his chest, as if the windows and steel beams would implode and crush him.

"Netto-kun, you have to help me. They're saying we didn't kill Imi-chan after all; they're saying this is all in her head!"

The younger Hikari looked away and sighed.

"Netto-kun?"

"I can't help you, nii-san."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I stuck by you even when you ran away," said Netto. "I fought for you when it hurt, and though I doubted you, I didn't _say_ a word about it. You're my brother, after all, but…my brother didn't come back from Ameroupe. My brother died with Roll, and all this time, I've just been trying to hang on to what was left of him."

The bus lurched to a halt, and Netto calmly paced down the steps.

"No, wait! You can't—don't leave me here!"

But from the sidewalk, Netto only stared and slipped away; the bus motored to its next destination with Saito glued to the window, looking back for his brother…

…and missing him.

"Rockman."

"He's right, you know," said Saito. "I abandoned him. That, more than anything else, is why I can't go back."

Roll eased herself up the aisle and sat beside him. "Rockman…"

"What! What is it, Roll-chan?"

"Look around you."

The bus and the city outside eroded, faded to black, and Rockman and Roll dangled in a formless abyss.

"We're running out of time."

—

"Pull!"

R Woodman yanked on a blue-gloved hand, but Saloma lost her footing and fell against the edge of the pit.

"Hakase, this isn't working," said Miyuki, observing from the edge.

"Why not?"

Down below, an entranced Imi latched onto Netto's arm, her hand like a vice grip.

"She won't let go," said Miyuki.

"We just need some help!" said Saloma, dusting herself off. "If we could get a rope, tie him to a Dash Condor—"

"And rip his shoulder from the socket to free him?"

"What do you suggest we do?"

Miyuki tilted her head and the bony helmet that protected it. She looked down, at the point of contact, where Imi's fingers wrapped around Netto's wrist.

"You're not serious!" said Saloma. "If you touch her, she'll kill you!"

"Both of us," said Miyuki. "And I won't be able to free him alone, not without someone to hold them down."

"If Netto-kun doesn't wake up—"

"We'll die trying to fight her off unless the bug cripples her. We're far too inexperienced."

"So we don't need to act now, not yet," said Saloma.

Down below, the white navi stirred. She squeezed Netto's wrist harder; her face twitched.

"That's exactly why we should," said Miyuki. "Come." She hopped down and skidded to the bottom of the pit, and her dull, questioning gaze fixed on Saloma. "Will you assist me?"

Saloma gulped. As Miyuki pried Imi's fingers one by one, the florist held onto Netto and Imi's arms. "Hold on, Netto-kun, just a little longer…"

Imi's brow creased, and confused voices surged around them.

"Do you hear that?" asked Miyuki.

Saloma nodded.

Grim and expressionless, Miyuki continued her work. "We must make haste."

—

"They're freeing us?"

Saito searched the void for the source of the sound, but the veil damped and muffled the voices. He recognized some…

'_She's waking; she's going to kill us. Netto-kun, please—'_

'_Three fingers clear. We'll need to get safe quickly. The depth of the pit will not stall her for long…'_

Saito laughed bitterly. "So we have to go back," he said. "Go back again, kill her again, live this all over—"

"It won't be the same," said Roll.

"It _will_ be the same! It'll be _exactly_ the same, and whether I'm in Imi-chan's mind or not, it won't matter. I've already lost everything."

"Rockman—"

"Don't call me that."

"Why not?"

"Because that's not who I am anymore!" He looked to the abyss, and his own reflection hovered in the dark—not the image of a navi, but the face of his twin, his human face. "I'm this now, and it's better this way. Sim-chan, Glyde, Netto-kun…everyone else…they're _why_ it's better. Someone else would've saved all of you. Someone else wouldn't have hurt so many, chasing Imi-chan."

Roll turned his chin toward her, but he brushed her hand away.

"I can't be that navi, not again," said Saito. "Never again."

"But I love that navi."

He looked up, he met her gaze, and her calm, bright eyes and small smile warmed him.

"I fell in love with that navi," she said, "because he was brave and kind and confident, and even though I wanted him to look at me and notice me, I had a lot already. When he needed someone to talk to, he came to me. That's all I could ever ask for—that he trust me, even if he trusted no one else."

He blinked. His eyes flickered about, searching.

"Do you trust me, Rockman?"

"I'm not—" Her placid gaze gave him pause. "I'm none of those things now. How can I go back? Look at me!"

A flash of blue. His eyes crossed, and he held out his hands, which bore not the dirty, stained bandages he expected but deep blue gloves instead. He touched his own face and head, and his fingers rubbed over a large, sturdy helmet, with only a small bundle of hair at the base.

"You can be anyone you want to be," said Roll. "You just have to make the choice…" She smiled, holding her hand to his cheek. "…Rockman."

"Roll-chan…"

'_Get us some protection!'_ Saloma's voice rang through the choir. _'She's waking up!'_

"I think I have to go now," said Roll.

"No! No, Roll-chan, you can't die, not again!"

She tapped her finger on his navi icon, and then let it wander, circling over his heart. "As long as I'm here, I'll never die," she said. "If ever you don't feel strong, just think of me, and I'll be there. You can have all my strength. You already have my heart."

Rockman met her gaze one last time, and they both shed a tear.

"Goodbye," said Roll.

And she lifted her finger, drifted away, without sadness or regret. She faded out, and the conclave of souls murmured and withered.

And for a second, a moment, a tiny speck of time amidst the vast age of the cosmos, the world was dark and quiet. The way, Rockman thought, that Imi might like it to be.

—

But not for long.

"Netto-kun? Netto-kun, are you with us?"

Light. Orange light. Nighttime with rainbows, and wood and bone brought to life, animated.

"Wake up, quickly!" said Miyuki, shaking him. "We have no time to sit in a daze!"

The boy blinked and rubbed his hand over his head.

"Are you all right?" asked Saloma.

"I had a strange dream," said Netto. He closed his eyes. _'Nii-san, are you with me?'_

The consummate brother he was. _Always, Netto-kun._

'_Did you see Roll?'_

_Yeah, yeah I did._

Netto smiled. _'I'm glad, nii-san. Really.'_

"Look out!"

He rushed to his feet, still wobbly, woozy, but so was she—so was Imi, who climbed out of the pit and looked about, dull and confused.

"More," she said. "There are more. More voices, more…"

_Netto-kun, Saloma-san and Miyuki-san had to touch her—_

Her bright red eyes locked onto her targets. "You two…"

'_There's no other way to stop her,'_ thought Netto. _'We can't wait; people are in danger again!'_

That's right, danger. Imi posed a threat, and to kill her…was to remove that threat. Not just for Miyuki and Saloma, but all these people, these witnesses to carnage and death…

…or heroism. Something only he could choose, something he had to want—

Netto squared his footing, leveling the cannon barrel once again. _'This time we'll do it for sure, right, nii-san?'_

Dual swords in hand, Imi's irises paled in the pink and purple light. When other weapons failed them, this one would deliver the killing blow, without a doubt.

But was there really no alternative, no other way to subdue her? Rockman nearly gagged on the thought. To let her live after what she did, even for just one more second—

It was exactly what he'd have done, wasn't it? So many foes he'd had in precisely this position—on the wrong end of the Rockbuster. Some of them resisted to the end, demanded their own demise, gave themselves rather than accept reconciliation, redemption.

They gave themselves wholly…

_That's it!_

Imi lunged for Miyuki, but Skullman's speed kept her at bay, running in circles, and Saloma fenced the white navi into a forest of wooden pillars.

'_This is it, nii-san. It's over.'_ Netto lowered the barrel, the blast bursting forth—

_No, Netto-kun, wait!_

"Charge Shot!"

A thick pink beam cut the night. Oak and cedar splintered and showered over the area, setting the grass ablaze.

But Imi EXE stared at the figure before her. The shot hurtled overhead and grazed her cap, but that was all.

"Netto-san…you missed!"

The boy lowered his weapon, and with his signature grin, he stood proud in the night.

"I shot what I mean to."

The stripes on his armor glowed and shimmered; the bright blue hues that adorned him could not be mistaken.

"I'm disappointed," said Imi. "That Rockman-san would compel you, take you over for his revenge—"

"You're wrong, Imi."

She raised an eyebrow.

"We're both here now."

He tensed his muscles, and the full power of the Saito Style radiated into the night, bathing the street and onlookers with its aura, a pure, white glow.

"Before, I gave up myself for him, but this time it's different. This time, Saito-nii-san has given himself for _me_. My brother is finally home, and he trusts that together, we can handle you, Imi. You can't touch us now. You can't hurt anyone."

Imi's features twisted. She looked between her three opponents—Netto, Saloma, and Miyuki—and with a visceral shriek, she dove.

PEW!

And Netto shot her out of the sky. A simple buster bolt, typically a weak weapon, almost harmless to stronger navis, but with the Saito Style fully harnessed, it shredded Imi's data. The shot's momentum drove her into the lawn, the very lot where her father's house burned, and though she lay on the ground grew back her splattered limbs, weakness claimed the navi, and she wallowed in flames.

Imi was defeated.

More than that, she would live to face judgment.

'_We did it, nii-san. Do you hear me? We beat her.'_

_And we saved everyone, Netto-kun. Even her._

'_I'm glad you're back now.'_

_Me too._

Some time later, after the dimensional area fell and Netto and the others pooled their water chips to extinguish the flames, a pair of helicopter rotors thumped through the early dawn. Enzan and Nakamura landed in a cleared area up the road, and with a police escort, the boy and the scientist arrived at the perimeter—now just a small picket line, really, to cordon off the pit from Netto's first shot, the ashen remains of the Nakamura home, and the prone, weary body of Imi, who still lay in the char.

"Nakamura-hakase," said Enzan, "would you like to do the honors?"

Hideki swallowed hard, but he followed Enzan's lead, around the crater and over the sidewalk, where a little girl navi trembled and writhed as the bug destroyed her from within.

"Hello, Imi."

"Hello, Papa. Enzan-san tells me…" Her teeth chattered; the voice that came out broke and stuttered. "…you have a cure for this?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"What do I—"

"Just come in the PET," said Hideki. He held out the device and turned it in the morning light. "It's your old one, remember? All the programming is there; the jammers are down, so—"

Weak and unsteady, Imi brought herself to her feet and faced her father. "You'd still do this for me, after everything I did?"

Hideki nodded twice, swallowing again.

"Thank you, Papa," she whispered, approaching him. "Thank you so much."

Netto, Saloma, and Miyuki rushed to Nakamura's aid, but they were far too late. No way to cover the distance, not that fast. Imi stepped toward her father, extended her arms…

…and hugged him. She turned her head, resting her ear on his hip, and her arms wrapped around his knees.

"I love you, Papa."

Hideki was at a loss. He looked nervously to Enzan, who returned his confusion with a questioning gaze. Then, Imi pulled back on her own, her joyous tears streaming down her face, but they jarred against the question in her eyes, a question that he choked to answer.

"Netto-san, Rockman-san," she said. "Can I speak with you?"

The younger Hikari approached, with his navi perched on his shoulder, projected into the world but fully aware of it.

"Thank you for all you did," said Imi. "I'm so sorry I wasn't strong enough to stop myself."

"We'll talk more after you're fixed," said Netto. "I don't meant to be harsh, but just because you're sorry doesn't mean everything's okay. People and navis died, Imi."

"And I have to be punished." She looked to her father. "How can I expect people to forgive me when I've not been punished?"

"I think it's time to go, Imi," said Hideki.

"Yes…" She sniffled, wiping the last of her tears away. "Yes, Papa." The girl opened a Rush Hole at her feet and lowered herself into cyberspace, and when she appeared on her father's shoulder, Hideki slotted in a single chip.

"There," he said, "it's done."

"So Imi-chan's cured now," said Rockman.

"Not exactly."

Imi covered her face with her blouse, muffling a sob.

"What do you mean, 'not exactly'?" asked Netto.

"What else would you need that chip for except to cure the frame bug?" asked Enzan.

"The chip contains…information," said Hideki, rubbing his temple. "I adapted the frame bug from old ideas of my own and others. Some of Medi's weapons erode frames in a similar fashion—"

"Stop babbling!" said Meiru. "What does the chip do?"

"The original version was complicated, messy," said Hideki. "Easy to defeat but not easy to _cure_. It needed to be refined."

"So you refined it," said Enzan. "Now you're using that to cure Imi."

Hideki shook his head.

"Then what _are_ you doing?"

"You really must leave Papa alone," said Imi. "He's only doing what he thinks is right."

Miyuki narrowed her eyes. "He's killing her."

Several voices responded in unison. "WHAT?"

"This version is quick and efficient," said Hideki. "She'll be dead within minutes, even with her healing factors. No more of this lingering."

"But Papa!" cried Imi. "We could be a family; I could be your daughter!"

"NO!" He shook the PET and rattled it, eyes wide. "YOU ARE _NOT_ MY DAUGHTER! MY DAUGHTER IS DEAD! LET THE DEAD _STAY_ DEAD!"

He met the gazes of the others, who at once condemned him and pitied him for his madness. Rather than face them with outrage or self-righteousness, Hideki laid the PET on the cement and sat beside it, hiding his face in shadow.

"Plug-in, Rockman EXE," whispered Netto. "Transmission."

A laser light flickered and faded in the dawn. "What are you doing?" asked Hideki.

"What's right," said Netto. "Look."

On the infinite plane of the cyberworld, Imi stifled her tears, but rogue tremors squeezed the air and life from her. She screamed and moaned, but Rockman was there. Rockman held onto her hand though it tensed and crushed his fingers.

"Don't be afraid, Imi-chan," he told her. "It'll be all right soon; maybe not now, but…it'll be all right. I promise."

She hugged him tighter, crying into his armor, but he cared not.

"Papa couldn't forgive me," she mumbled, "for being like Masuyo-chan."

She groaned. An agonizing tremor wracked her from tip to toe, but not just her, either. All the souls she collected shrieked and wailed; the bug wouldn't spare them. It would snuff them out along with Imi, and some, like her, were afraid. Terrified, even.

But at least one soul out of them all would sleep easy. She'd be able to rest, knowing that she'd fulfilled her last desire. Imi killed her, yes, but make Rockman himself again, Roll could do without petty vengeance and resentment, couldn't she?

Rockman smiled. What Roll wanted was immaterial now. He didn't need to please her in this last moment of contact, yet it comforted him, knowing she'd approve, all the same.

"I forgive you, Imi-chan," said Rockman. "I forgive you for everything."

A sob acknowledged him, for now she shook violently, non-stop. Rockman did his best to suppress the motions, to quiet the voices within her, but they followed an inexorable tide, one that would wash away everything on shore.

The tremors subsided. Rockman opened his arms and found nothing, no one there. Perhaps this was the hand of cruel fate at work, tormenting Imi to always hear her voices, never to escape them even in death.

'_Rockman.'_

And for a moment, even after she was gone, Rockman thought he heard the choir, or if not their true voices, a faint echo of the whole, and though their song was a discordant one, the melody was loud and clear to him. It was familiar…and beautiful, and should that voice haunt him for the rest of his days, he would welcome it. He loved to hear her talk to him. He loved to see her smile.

_Roll-chan…_


	24. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"Going home, Netto?"

The boy in the blue bandana fastened his bag and slid his PET into its familiar shoulder strap.

"What's that?"

"I thought maybe you'd like to catch up on some of our homework," said Meiru.

"Eh? We didn't get homework today."

"I mean the other homework."

"What other homework?"

Meiru sighed. "Netto…"

"You two still have backlog homework to do?" asked Yaito.

"_I'm_ almost done," said Meiru. "Netto, on the other hand—"

"I'll get to it; I'll get to it. Isn't that right, Rockman?"

"I won't let him put it off forever, don't worry," said the navi.

"But you won't be doing it today," Yaito observed.

"Netto-kun and I have to meet Papa at the lab this afternoon."

"Again?" said Yaito.

"Again."

"Just what are you two—"

Meiru placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Yaito-chan."

The classroom emptied, and with the newfound silence pressing upon them, Yaito composed herself. "Of course. Well, see you tomorrow, Netto, Meiru-chan."

"See you tomorrow," echoed the pair.

Yaito waved goodbye, and with only Mariko tidying her desk, Meiru and Netto lowered their voices to whispers.

"Are you sure I can't at least come visit?" asked Meiru.

"It'd be better if you don't, not yet."

"Netto…"

"It's just for a few more days." He smiled. "Then everything will be back to normal. You'll see."

"We should hurry, Netto-kun," said Rockman. "Papa's waiting."

"Ah! Sorry." He jogged toward the door. "See you tomorrow, Meiru."

"See you…"

He left.

"…tomorrow."

Meiru slung her purse over her shoulder, shuffled her belongings, and uncovered the pink and white PET.

"Not everything can be normal again…"

—

Try as she might, Meiru found herself alone much of the time. Granted, Yaito invited her over often, and Dekao and Tohru had been kind enough to ask her to Higureya, despite the sensitivity Shuuko advised—it _was_ a chip store, after all. Even still, Meiru might've taken them up on their offer had Netto been there.

But he wasn't. More and more, he spent all his free time at the lab with his father—_their_ father—and sooner or later, Meiru expected two Hikari boys to walk into Mariko's classroom. That, surely, would cause no small spectacle.

For now, however, she would take solace in the only comfort that was her own.

_Oh, if you know pain or sorrow, sing this song and you'll forget.  
I sing it now, my darling; this is my own death lament._

Melodramatic, perhaps, but even in sad music, there could be comfort. Meiru smiled to think that Roll would chastise her for pounding out chains of long, sustained chords—not harshly, of course, but the harmonic series did seem to unsettle Roll, back then.

For Meiru, however, like in the lyrics she imagined, the song was an opportunity to forget. Forget that Roll was truly gone, that Nakamura had stolen from her one last chance to recover her lost navi or, at the least, say goodbye. Not since Enzan's train had she dared to risk others for Roll's resurrection, but she hoped…somehow…

Bang. A, C, E. The minor chord rang through the halls and died away, with Meiru's fingers still pressing down on the keys—the chord that disturbed Roll so, all those many weeks ago, but the music didn't frighten her, not really: it was Meiru's melancholy, her isolation, that worried Roll.

"And I don't want to forget that."

Meiru slid the piano bench under the keyboard. Time enough she'd spent alone with her music.

She picked up the phone. "Hello, Yaito-chan? Come with me; we're going to see Netto…"

—

"Listen, I'm sorry, but you don't have permission to go in yet."

The receptionists at the Ministry of Science could be very stern, however.

"Yet?" said Meiru. "What do you mean 'yet'?"

"You _are_ authorized, but hakase left strict instructions not to let you pass until the procedure's complete. No, I don't know what procedure that is, in case you're wondering. There are already a few dozen observers already, so I think you'll just have to wait your turn."

Meiru and Yaito exchanged a glance. "Observers?" asked Yaito. "What observers?"

"Meiru-chan!"

At the door, a green-haired gardener let herself into the building and greeted the two girls with a smile.

"I didn't know you two would be here so early," said Saloma. "Meiru-chan, you must be so excited!"

"Excited? What for?"

"I'm surprised you haven't been here for the others," said Saloma. "Well, come on!" She took the two girls by the hand. "We're already a bit late!"

"I'm sorry, but these two girls are not permitted to enter, on hakase's instructions," said the receptionist.

"Why not?" asked Saloma. "Don't you know what this is for?"

"_We_ don't even know what this is for," said Yaito.

Saloma paled. "You don't…? Oh no." She glanced at the door. "Wait!"

"Saloma-san!" A girl with dark blue braids rushed in and handed the gardener her straw-woven bag. "You left your purse in the van."

Meiru and Yaito stared; their mouths hung open.

"Oh, thank you." Saloma laughed nervously.

The newcomer smiled and bowed slightly. Taking notice of the two girls beside her, she beamed all the more. "Oh, hello Meiru-chan, Yaito-chan! It's good to see you both again, isn't it?"

Meiru stammered. "E—E—"

"Yes, of course," said Yaito.

"I think you should call Hikari-hakase," Saloma told the receptionist. "Tell him I'm bringing these two girls with me, you understand?"

"But who is this one?" said the receptionist, pointing to the newcomer. "What is your name?"

"Oh, sorry!" The girl bowed again. "I'm Egami Aya. Pleased to meet you!"

The receptionist's pen clinked on the desk.

"Meiru-chan, Yaito-chan," said Saloma with a nervous look, "this way."

—

Despite a thousand questions, Meiru and Yaito found no answers in Saloma and Egami, who escorted them down the halls to the Hikari laboratory.

"I think if Hikari-hakase and Netto-kun haven't told you by now, they must not want to get your hopes up," said Saloma. "The procedure is tricky; not everyone came out quite right on the first attempt."

"But it does work," said Egami.

Every time Egami spoke, Meiru did a double-take just to make sure it was her. "Egami-san, how long have you been…"

The blue-haired girl scrunched her brow in thought. "Maybe a week?"

"A week!"

"I felt very sluggish at first, but soon I got used to moving around again. After a few days, I got restless, and Hikari-hakase let me go back home, see my family. I came over with Saloma-san for today because…well, it's the last procedure to do. There's going to be a big celebration if all goes well."

"But you were dead!" said Meiru. "I saw it myself! How could you be here now?"

"It must've been a trick," said Yaito. "A ploy to keep Echo from coming after you. If she thought you were dead—"

"Oh no, I really did die."

Meiru and Yaito gawked.

"Egami-chan," Saloma scolded her.

"I'm sorry," said the girl.

The group halted at a three-way intersection of hallways.

"Oh dear, which way was it?" wondered Egami.

"I think it was left?" said Saloma.

"To the right, Egami-san."

Meiru looked up. "Who was that?"

"Oh, that's Grove." Egami held out her PET, and the eggplant navi hovered, projected into the air. "Isn't it nice?" said Egami. "Hikari-hakase managed to save Grove, too."

Meiru took one look at the petals on Grove's head…

…and bolted.

"Meiru-chan!"

_They saved Egami-san; they saved Grove. That can only mean—_

She spotted a half-open door and burst through it.

"Oh my…"

The group of observers stared at her: Ikeda Kousuke and Rouletteman, both in their customary black and red attire; Yukawa and Slateman, faces hard and stony; Mazeman grinned with glee; and more beyond them, too—navis and people she didn't know, but she knew _why_ they were here.

"You all died," she said. "Imi touched you and killed you…"

"But we brought them back."

Meiru gasped. Netto beckoned her to the glass barrier and took her by the hand. "When nii-san touched Imi and held her as she died, she left something behind in him."

"All of us," said Egami. "Our thoughts, our minds, our memories."

"So Papa and I have been here, day and night, restoring the navis she killed…" He looked to Egami. "…and even, using the same process he was going to use for Rockman, for Saito, with some of the people she killed, too."

"But I don't understand," said Meiru. "If they're all here, then where's…what about Roll?"

"She's the last one," said Netto. "Look."

Inside the chamber, Yuuichirou typed at an enormous console, one that displayed Rockman's sleeping image on its monitors.

"Beginning data extraction," said Yuuichirou, "now!"

Meiru squeezed Netto's hand all the tighter, her eyes fixed to the screen. On an empty panel of the monitor, blocks of data shimmered into place. They shined and sparkled, but after a while, they settled down. They aligned and coalesced into a coherent picture, a beautiful form.

"Roll!" cried Meiru.

"Just a second!" said Yuuichirou. "Running diagnostics…"

But the spectators murmured their approval. "We've never had a problem at this point," said Mazeman. "I wouldn't worry."

"Frame integrity pass, memory checksum pass, personality subroutines…" Yuuichirou stopped. He looked back at the glass and smiled at the audience.

"…pass."

Applause erupted in the observation room. Netto howled and cheered, jumping and hollering even with Meiru still at his side, but the girl stood still for a moment. Yuuichirou cleared the monitors of the computer, and two holograms, one each for Rockman and Roll, appeared on the terminal before Meiru and Netto.

"Good job, Rockman!" said Netto. "Way to go!"

The blue navi opened his eyes and beamed. He looked to his left, where the pink navi still hovered, suspended, but then she too opened her eyes.

"Hello, Meiru-chan," she said.

"He…" She sniffled. "Hello Roll. Welcome home."

"I told you," said Netto with a grin. "I promised everything would be normal again."

"Oh, Netto!"

"Hey, wait a minute!"

She smothered him in a bone-crunching hug. "This is better than normal. Thank you. Thank you so much…"

And down below, on the console, their navis embraced as well, albeit much more calmly…

"I missed you," said Rockman.

"I know," said Roll. "I was in your mind, remember?"

"I remember." They pulled apart, admired each other's eyes, and held hands as Ikeda broke out the banquet table and kicked off the celebration—the rebirth of Echo's victims, the second chance at life that the Hikaris had given to the dead. Rockman closed his eyes and took it all in: Roll's warmth, now outside of him instead of within but no less soothing to his soul; the joy of reuniting operators with their lost navis; the awesome sight a week past when they had Egami in one of those water tanks, and with her mind restored to a new body, she sparked back to life right here, in this lab. Of course there were others hurt or killed by Imi's hand, people and navis she never touched and, thus, they couldn't revive in this way. Those souls he would always hear, though, even in the jubilant ruckus of this party, this celebration of new life. He owed it to them to listen, to pay heed to their voices.

'_Papa…'_

He jerked.

"Rockman?" asked Roll. "What's wrong?"

'_I just want my Papa…'_

"I hear something," he said. "Someone else."

"Who?"

Rockman looked about the crowd. While most of the guests chatted gaily, rejoicing in newfound life, Rockman spotted a lone figure in the corner, leaning against the wall, and though shadows obscured his body, his hollow gaze pierced the dimness clearly.

"I think it's Imi-chan."

—

The party was over. The reborn made their way to their homes again. News the next day would say that Egami Aya had survived Imi's Paladin Sword somehow, that the Net Police kept her in hiding to protect her life. As for the navis, their existence could be explained through backups. It wasn't uncommon to copy a frame; that they had largely the same personalities and memories of events that only a deleted navi could have…well, navi programming was getting better all the time. Only their operators and closest friends need ever know the truth.

But there was still one outstanding thread to tie up.

"Do you remember what you said?" asked Yuuichirou. "To Imi, I mean?"

Nakamura Hideki tapped his fingers on a keyboard, looking away. "I said a lot of things."

" 'Let the dead stay dead.' I think that was sound."

"Oh really?"

"I would add just one thing, though."

"What's that?"

"Let the dead stay dead, and let the living live."

Hideki tapped _up_ on the keyboard, and a three-dimensional model of Imi appeared on the monitor, spinning slowly.

"She wasn't your daughter, but she wanted to be," said Yuuichirou. "Did you ever give her the chance? Did you even try to be a father to her?"

Hideki huffed. "A father doesn't kill his own child."

Yuuichirou raised an eyebrow. "What did you see when she touched you?"

"A little girl in an alley of Internet City, all alone even though hundreds of navis passed her by. You know, when she let go of me, she knew, and it didn't matter to her because knowing I wanted to trap her, knowing I wanted to _kill_ her, she couldn't fight anymore. She was too tired, like Masuyo, to hang on any longer."

"So you're going to let her stay gone."

"I needed her to be gone. I wasn't going to let her suffer anymore," said Hideki. "Not like that, not desperate, not…broken."

"You can fix her. You have time now."

"I can't fix shattered mind, a sundered will. I can't erase what I remember; I can't forget what I did to her!"

Yuuichirou patted his colleague on the shoulder and turned out the lights of the lab, leaving Hideki to the blue glow of the screen before him.

"Maybe you can't forget," said Yuuichirou. "That doesn't mean she can't either. Maybe that's what she needs to have a second chance—a clean slate."

At that, Hideki stared at the screen and the rotating model of Imi. He opened a command prompt, and lines of code flooded the screen.

"Maybe not a clean slate," he mused, "but we can smooth out the deeper lines." He smiled. "Better than a second chance—a first one. I know you loved Masuyo dearly, as I did too, but I can give you something now, Imi. I can give you a life without a purpose to guide it: you can be who you want and not what anyone needs you to be."

He sat back. "You can be yourself."

—

Days passed. The cold of winter ebbed and made way for springtime, for flowers in bloom and a warm, breezy day in the park.

"Slow down, Netto! This isn't a race!"

A good day for a picnic, really. Every so often, Netto and Meiru would try their hand at this sort of thing—a ritual their friends might call _dating_, but they weren't sure they liked the word just yet. What they did like was playing games over rice balls and laughing. And eating. Oh, with Netto there was to be much eating, but for the safety of his stomach, at least, Rockman and Roll watched over the pair, with Rush reborn along with them, and as they kept tabs on the new couple, they too settled into a comfortable rhythm, one that made the opening of a pink navi's eyes a sight to behold and cherish forever.

"Netto-kun? Meiru-chan?"

All eyes went off the tray of _takoyaki_ that Netto had dived into and landed on the tall, stringy man who, for the first time since they'd known him, looked healthy, looked alive.

"Nakamura-hakase!" said Netto. "What are you doing out here? I thought you were moving away."

"I might've changed my mind about that," said Hideki. He looked to his left, where the image of a navi floated over his shoulder.

"Eh?" Roll tugged on Rockman's arm. "Imi-chan?"

She cocked her head. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

'_She doesn't remember,'_ thought Netto.

She didn't remember, but Rockman sized up the new Imi in an instant, as her father introduced her to the people she now thought of as strangers. She followed Hideki's gaze and watched with intent curiosity.

_She doesn't remember, but this is how she was supposed to be,_ thought Rockman. _This is how she would've been._

"Say hello to everyone, Imi," said Hideki.

"Ah! Good morning, everyone! It's nice to meet you!"

"It's nice to meet you too, Imi-chan," said Rockman. _It's nice to meet the real you._

—

Hideki joined Netto and Meiru for the rest of the afternoon, and despite some initial hesitation, Rush and Imi chased one another across a virtual playground, with Roll's supervision from the sidelines.

"How long are you going to keep her memories from her?" asked Netto.

"I don't know," said Hideki. "Maybe 'til tomorrow, maybe the day after. I haven't decided. Just…look at her."

Imi swung from a set of monkey bars, just out of Rush's reach, but the digital dog jumped and swatted at her, desperate for a fleeting tag.

"Can't hit me!" said Imi.

"Aup aup!" said Rush, leaping again.

"Someday, she'll have to face those memories," said Hideki, "and the consequences of what she's done, but it doesn't have to be today. A few hours of childhood isn't enough…"

Netto and Meiru nodded, and so did Rockman.

—

_Let the dead stay dead, and let the living live._

A motto for the future, in Hikari Yuuichirou's judgment. It was in light of this wisdom he accompanied the workers who carted off the two tanks—Masuyo and Saito—and wheeled them into cold storage, to lay frozen and dormant, he hoped, for all eternity. As one last message, he scribbled a few words on a piece of lined paper and taped the note to Saito's tank:

"May their presence serve as a reminder, a warning to those who have lost loved ones—neglect not the life they left behind, for you may lose others in grief in mourning. Worse still, you may lose yourself."

On the way back to his lab, Yuuichirou spotted a phone, and rather than pass it by, he picked up the receiver and dialed home.

"Hello, Haruka?" A pause. "Yes, it's me. What are you having for dinner? Spaghetti? No, no, that's fine, that's fine. I was just wondering if you could set a place…." He smiled. "I'll be home in half an hour."

—

As dusk fell on the park, Netto and Meiru packed up the picnic blanket and lunchboxes, but Rockman and Roll sat on the grass and watched the sunset.

"I thought once what it'd be like to see it for real," said Rockman.

"See what?" asked Roll.

"The sunset. I wonder if it'd be any different with human eyes."

"Rockman…"

"I just wonder."

Roll snuggled against him. "I know."

"Meiru, why don't you act all sweet and affectionate like Roll does?" asked Netto.

She grabbed his collar. "Are you saying I don't act sweet and affectionate?"

Their navis chuckled to themselves, too amused to interfere in the exchange. Instead, they looked to the distance, where Hideki and Imi strolled down the path and the sun cast their shadows over seesaws and sand castles, and there was peace and tranquility in the park until…

Ring ring ring.

Meiru released Netto's shirt, and the pair looked to his PET, where an image of Manabe sprung to life.

"Netto-kun, there's been a virus attack at the docks. You and Rockman are needed as soon as you can be there."

"Ah, we're on our way!" said Netto, snatching his PET. "Uh, sorry, Meiru, gotta run!"

"Sorry? Don't you 'sorry' me." She slung the picnic basket over her shoulder. "Roll and I are coming with you."

"But…we just brought her back to life, and you want to go fighting with her?"

"It'll come back to us," said Meiru. "Won't it, Roll?"

"We'll show those viruses who's boss, Meiru-chan!"

Netto made a face for a moment, but the expression passed. "All right, we go together then. Nii-san, ready to go?"

Back to work, back to defending humankind and navi alike from the dangers of cyberspace?

"I'm ready. Let's go."

Thus spoke Hikari Saito, and though he may have been born a human, he would not be beholden to guilt or regret for the past. He would meet the challenges of life and be stronger for them. He would be solid…

And he would always be Rockman.

**The End**


	25. Author's Afterword, Part 2

**Afterword, Part Two**

As I mentioned in the interlogue (yes, I made that word up), I completely rewrote the outline for part two. As a result, the story is much richer, fuller. The process also reminded me that my way of storytelling—through several connected but smaller stories—is different from the conventional method and that, perhaps, my style doesn't lend itself completely to others' methods of structuring and planning. I can't say I came to any rigorous conclusions in that regard. The jury is still out, and I suppose I shall have to come to a decision some other time in my writing career.

I said in the first afterword that part two was, in some ways, an afterthought, a way to draw out certain aspects that I felt needed to be extended. They were Rockman's grief and mourning over Roll's death and his mission to get revenge on Imi as a result. Everything else followed from that: his manipulation of Netto to go to Ameroupe, their arrangement with Enzan while they trained and synched, and Meiru's quest to find Netto. In the original draft, the primary action was a sighting of Rockman driving Meiru to find Netto by a trace. She would fail, but Imi would suddenly hear Roll's voice to keep her from deleting Rockman. We wouldn't know this until Imi confronted Meiru at the curry shop, where another battle would take place that would hint at this.

Many things were wrong with this approach. Why would Rockman come out now and not before? I had no answer, and without some sequestering of Rockman and Netto, I felt like Meiru was not put through enough of an emotional trial to justify needing to find Netto desperately (which I thought would be good for her character, to give her a mission of her own that also tied in her relationship with him). Before I started writing it, I hadn't even conceived of a two-month gap between parts one and two (and that _really_ complicated things). As a result, I was forced to consider a rewrite.

And the rewrite was a good thing. The first outline was devoid of action—the first four chapters were a telling of the same event from several viewpoints: Meiru, Netto, Imi. The redundancy of this approach quickly convinced me I needed more plot, and so I came up with most of the other conflicts in this half. Indeed, "The Brothers Hikari" was the extension of the original confrontation at the curry shop (which, while the conversation with Yaito remained in "Streets," the confrontation was nixed). "Imitations of Roll" and "Moments" were both new ideas, as were "Pilgrimage" and "Reunion." Really, only the part about Netto being tricked into locking Rockman in his PET was carried over into "Sons" (where before it was the primary climax of the second third or act), and "Savage Memory" was new. "Resurrection and Life" was the combining of a couple chapters of content from the old outline, and "Prodigal Daughter" was extended with Enzan and Hideki's subplot (having been altered from the original outline).

So, as you can see, a lot was new material. Good material, I would say, for it really added depth to the story and allowed me to work in several ideas that I had put aside. Among the most considerable, however, was Codey.

Codey was an idea I had for "Spine of the Hedgehog." The idea was that Hideki would be persuaded to build Codey as a weapon to use against Echo, not knowing that Imi was Echo. Imi would then meet Codey and realize (by touch) that he was her father's creation. She would also be refreshed by his tranquil voice in her mind (instead of a hostile voice like the others). But Codey would die, and Imi would have to find some way out of this predicament or die too.

It was that last part that kept me from making it a chapter in part one. I couldn't write a way out for her that made sense and didn't seem like a stretch. It also seemed a bit random to write Codey in and out so quickly. It was this issue in particular that actually kept him from the first rewrite of the outline for part two. I simply didn't know how I was going to work him in.

But I knew that in "Savage Memory" and "Sons" I would want Hideki to create something to kill Imi, and Codey seemed like a logical choice. It would be even worse to introduce him right then and there to kill off, so I went back to all the other chapters and decided I wanted to write him in. It was a good choice, I think, for it gave Hideki someone to bounce off of and addressed a practical problem of how he could stay hidden (answer: with Codey's help) this long. All in all, a good deal. My only misgiving at that point was that…I hadn't planned for Codey from the start, but hey, that's the nature of writing.

One thing I always aimed for was there to be strong parallels between Imi and Rockman. This is reflected in many ways: her ability to copy is not terribly unlike Rockman's Souls and Crosses. Forgiveness is their primary motivation—for Imi, it is her entire motivation, where for Rockman, that only comes into focus after Roll's death in part one.

Interlogue

I made the interlogue a separate chapter for a number of reasons: first, it'd been several weeks since my last update, and I wasn't exactly close to having another full chapter done. Second (and more importantly), the two month gap between the end of part one and part two's main action compelled me to set aside this one scene into something of its own. Contextually, this scene belongs with chapter ten, but chronologically, it really doesn't, and it felt wrong to just wham people with "Two Months Later" somewhere in the chapter or to just do it and say, "Hey guys, guess what? It's two months later, surprise." No, I wanted the chapter to just _be_ two months later and not have to deal with that transition. The break between the interlogue and "The Streets of Ameroupe" does that.

This scene developed nicely when I actually put fingers to keys, as it were. I did have some misgivings about the appearance of killing Roll twice, but I put those aside, knowing that when chapter ten came out, it would feel right.

Chapter Ten: The Streets of Ameroupe

This chapter bloomed so wonderfully after my false-start, the one that drove the outline rewrite. As a matter of fact (as seems to happen a lot) it just got longer and longer as I added scenes for pacing and transition.

The original idea for Hideki to be looking for power was present in the revised outline, but breaking into a house wasn't. That's an example of where things just kind of worked for the rest of the chapter. I hadn't even thought far enough ahead that Codey could be used as a tool for him to hack into systems.

And finally, after seeing him for not much at all during part one, we have Enzan. I freely admit, I had him "put on a bus" as the tvtropers say, largely so he could be a major character in part two, where he would have something meaningful to do, for though it would've been helpful for him to be in Japan, it would've done little to advance his character. Here, we get the first hints that Enzan is crumbling under the pressure (though largely for reasons unclear just yet), something that might be uncharacteristic under other circumstances. Even still, he is the one in charge, and he bears the responsibility for holding Imi at bay.

In the original outline, Meiru was the main focus of this chapter (hence I tentatively called it "Meiru's Quest"). Though she couldn't sustain a whole chapter by herself, I wanted her to have a major piece of it. Without Netto to lean on or Roll for support, she's had to grow up a lot. It's made her determined and, as Roll would later observe, much tougher and less fearful. That's not to say she's lost her soft side: she misses Roll terribly, and Netto occupies much of her thoughts.

We also see Imi's first encounter with her "brother," Codey. This she finds incredibly intriguing. She doesn't feel replaced, but rather Codey is someone she has things in common with. Codey is as close to a peer, an equal, as she can get, and thus, she's incredibly fond of him. Some might find Codey's ignorance of Imi contrived, but I justify it as indicative of just how little Hideki cares to discuss Imi, for the whole affair brings him great shame.

After two months of searching for her father, we can imagine Imi's frustrations to be great indeed. This is why she goes after Meiru with such ferocity. It was one thing for Enzan and Raoul to oppose her—I would contend that the actual confrontations she had with them in her father's presence were very few—but quite another for Meiru to steal her father away. It is only through Masuyo's persuasion and Roll's will that Meiru is saved, as Imi is too shocked to continue her attack.

But (and this is, again, to show how much Meiru has grown) even after facing near-death, Meiru won't give up the search for Netto, much to Enzan's consternation. He can't conceal her presence in good conscience, however. He can't hide the truth from Netto. At this point, we have little idea what Netto has been doing, but we can see that something's very wrong indeed. As the next chapter shows, things are profoundly wrong.

Chapter Eleven: The Brothers Hikari

It was in the third outline of this chapter that I developed the concept of Sim. In many ways, this chapter is unique: it's one of the few that I tell from a largely consistent viewpoint (Sim with a few excerpts from Enzan's POV), and I chose this structure for a specific reason—to provide an outsider's vision of Rockman's deterioration, just as you, the reader, would have. That was the reason I rewrote this outline. Trying to tell Rockman's grief from his point of view would've been a futile effort. It was much more powerful and moving to see it from the outside, for then the things that made sense to him would be seen for the irrational acts that they are.

One of the major struggles of _Remnants_ has been characterizing Rockman in a way that makes sense but also puts him in a new direction. Rockman, being Rockman, would hold himself responsible for Roll's death. He would also try to justify his actions by continuing to pursue his humanity, making that a goal. At the same time, he would see Netto's connections to the real world—especially Meiru—as something he doesn't have himself. But these are his perceptions, his reactions to the events of "Selfishness." What would he _do_ as a result?

One thing I would like to reinforce in revision is the idea that their training was as much about reducing the pain felt from their link as it was to achieve the Saito Style, the union of the brothers' minds. I think this is a major justification for their seclusion, and it puts that seclusion into a more rational light. Walking the fine line between understandable reactions and over-the-top rashness and reflexive acts was a serious challenge, and I'd be lying if I said I thought I got it totally right. That's just the difficulty of the position I put Rockman in.

Would Rockman try to compel Netto for obedience? Really? This is something I myself second-guess. While it provided ample impetus for Sim to leave, I still wonder if there was a better way to do it.

Sim was a characterization challenge, too, for I hadn't put the pieces in motion for her arrival, really. What I chose to do was make her rather simplistic in terms of her responses—spending days on end battling, she would see everything naturally in that context, correctly or not. Rockman's kiss is the first serious emotional response we see from her, but she's smart enough to realize that these inputs don't match: you don't try to delete someone you love, or if you do, something's amiss. That's when she makes it her mission to understand what's going on, and when she realizes Rockman has a hold on Netto, she goes beyond that—knowing how kind and gentle he can be, knowing what a hero he's been, she resolves to restore that spirit. A noble sentiment, to be sure.

Chapter Twelve: The Web

This was originally "Imitations of Roll," but I soon realized it was best to sever it into two parts—one for the Ministry of Transport battle and related aftermath and one for the actual confrontation and hostage situation at the Chandler Hotel (yes, _Sliders_ reference). I didn't expect "The Web" to be 15,000 words. I didn't expect "Imitations" to be 18,000, either.

There are a lot of effects in play here: Enzan's increasing worry and fear about having sequestered Netto, Raoul's suspicions, Rockman's reexamination of what he's become, Meiru's mission, and Sim's gambits to disrupt the status quo. Imi's motivations really take a backseat for this chapter as a result, which is sad, but I'll elaborate on that later. I called this one "The Web" for a reason, though (and not "The Verdant Dawn," as I was tempted, after the green flash that happens at sunrise and sunset): the characters are all tangled in this web of motivations, of actions and reactions. And in this way, one might interpret this chapter as expressing the futility of their internal motions. On the other hand, we see everyone's trying to make sense of the new world they live in, one in which the rules they've lived by have been systematically destroyed. They're doing the best they can.

In a lot of ways, I was cruel to poor Meiru to make her miss and miss Netto. I don't think I crushed her hope, but I gave her good reason to want to put her hope somewhere else, in Roll. And that immediately pays off.

Chapter Thirteen: Imitations of Roll

As I said, I'm shocked this chapter turned out to be so long. It makes me think on revision I should trim it, but each scene sets up something down the line. I wouldn't know where to begin. Indeed, I feel "Imitations" to be one of my finest chapters in terms of flow and logical organization. Everything about the chapter just makes sense, from Netto and Rockman's initial confrontation with Imi to Enzan's bold refusal to let the status quo stand any longer.

What I hadn't originally planned (at least, before I wrote her into the story) was Sim's involvement, but she actually made a lot of sense to drop into it and, well, make a mess of things. Not a mess—a _tragedy_ of things. Sim is well-intentioned, trying to make sense of a world she doesn't really understand yet. After all, think about it: her only experiences thus far have been battling with Rockman and seeing the outside the few times he lets her do so. For her battle prowess, she's remarkably naïve, and as such, she comes up with a plan to save Rockman's soul (that's what it is, after all) that is risky at best and downright foolish at worst.

And yet, she's sympathetic because her heart's in the right place, and she's at least somewhat aware that her actions are not perfect or foolproof. If she'd had a further role in the story, I wouldn't have written her out here. As it was, I felt I had to, just to maintain the integrity of the story for later chapters. Her arc was finished, and I had no intention of setting her up as a true replacement for Roll (nor would she, in my opinion, want to do this). Could she have plausibly stayed to try to rehabilitate Rockman? Yes, but unlike a lot of other characters, I felt she would want to get out and make a contrast between those who stayed mired and those who moved on.

A lot of the focus of this chapter is on Imi and Hideki. Sometimes, I worry they take up too much of the story—they're not canon characters, so unlike the others, I have to make people want to feel their struggles. That's a tall order, and as one reviewer put it, well, Hideki's a stubborn character. So is Imi, in her own way. Hideki is stubborn to cover his own guilt and cowardice, though, and I tried to show that here with the shadow scene. And, of course, the moment he grows a backbone and tries to face Imi…well, it blows up. Bad.

The last thing I want to talk about for this chapter is Rockman's promise. I realize he doesn't actually make a promise in words; in part, I think that was my own imperfect memory. Still, it was deliciously twisted.

Chapter Fourteen: Moments

I really like "Moments," even though I feel it might be difficult to follow. Like much of the book, this chapter is a tragedy, one derived from several different forces all with different goals, and not necessarily meaning to compete with each other, either. Enzan's trying to finish up with Imi as best he can, for he can see Netto and Rockman are just a disaster waiting to happen. Meiru naturally misses Roll very much, and while her search for Netto has allowed her to put some of those feelings aside, it's still something she can't quite get over.

It was in this chapter that I developed the concept of signal jammers, mostly as a technical problem I needed to address. If a dimensional area were perfectly penetrable by Imi, then there would be no reason for her to ever fight anyone. She could run away indefinitely or get anywhere without limit. It was something that needed to be restricted, and I also thought that it would be a good reference to _Ryuusei no Rockman_ as well.

And this is the chapter where Netto finally makes the choice to stand up to his brother. A difficult choice, to be sure, one made on controversial grounds. He could've let Rockman murder Imi right there (and this is why I let their initial shot weaken her so), but if Rockman is like the fallen hero, Netto is still the hero proper, the one who adheres to ideals and moral judgments even when his brother's grief and rage might suspend them otherwise. And, for that matter, it may well be _right_ to kill Imi there and be done with it. I tried not to make a firm statement on that; this is not a book about morality. It's about people.

Chapter Fifteen: Pilgrimage

This, I feel, is a major turning point in the book. This is also the mammoth chapter, the one from which everything in the last half of _Remnants_ follows. In a way, I'm proud of this chapter, as it ties a lot of things together. That said, I still feel how huge it is and wonder if it is truly cohesive as a result.

The major theme I wanted to get across with Laika and Pride's adventures back in Japan was how the world has broken down without Netto and Rockman to hold it together. This is the burden of heroes, after all, and in a way, the book itself is about how Rockman handles that burden, whether he feels up to the task or inadequate as a result of Roll's death. This is why Timeman is, in truth, a weak, minor villain here, not a foe to be truly feared like Imi. He's one-dimensional and defeated in a linear fashion. He's an enemy that could only thrive with the main fighters of evil gone.

I've always struggled with how to characterize Rockman. The kind of insanity or circular thought process he must have is one that's very, very difficult to pull off. Nigh-impossible, I would say, to do from his point of view without feeling overdone. That's why his actions are often seen from outside of him—from Laika's point of view, for example, when he shoots Glyde. This is also why I gave Rockman several lines to elucidate his state of mind. Rockman's own point of view, however, would be something I couldn't really touch until the last chapter.

Chapter Sixteen: Reunion

At the time, I had intended this chapter to be somewhat stand-alone, a chance to explore the relationship between Rockman and Roll and how distorted he sees it as a result of what he's gone through. Rockman, in my view, has never really understood what Roll wanted from him (which is really simple—to be himself, but also to rely on her, confide in her, need her), and as a result, he tries to make sense of things by trying to make her happy. What he's doing, however, clashes with what he's become, and that's why Roll can't really accept the Rockman who inhabits Imi's mind with her.

This is the chapter where Netto really becomes, in tvtropes's terminology, "the woobie." And yet, despite that, he's courageous. He endures massive pain to keep fighting, and though compelled to do so by Rockman, he doesn't let that affect his ability to fight, either. In the end, his choice to stay by Rockman and even give himself to stop Imi shows Netto's adherence to the hero aesthetic: when it matters, he is selfless.

Chapter Seventeen: Savage Memory

A chapter of transition, really, unlike many of the others, as it serves mostly to setup the action of the next chapter, "Sons." I wanted to address a couple things here, though. Again we see how good intentions can blow up due to cross-purposes. Yaito tries to track down Rockman, but in doing so, she compromises Enzan's position, which Imi counted on.

Something I touched on here was Medi and her relationship with Rockman. I never intended for her to be a replacement for Roll, but her motivations would stem from the same sorts of feelings. She can bring herself to use her abilities to kill in an insidious way for Rockman's sake, and while originally I meant for her to be a more central part of the next chapter (and to put into focus how appalled she is at what she's done), in the end, I had enough to deal with between Nakamura, Codey, and Rockman himself.

Chapter Eighteen: Sons

A tough chapter. This one had a lot of things to juggle, between Meiru and Netto, Hideki and Codey, Laika and Pride. Let's start with the middle of those three.

As I've said (I think; bear in mind I've been writing this afterword in chunks), Codey's original purpose was to be a trap for Imi. Since those times, his role increased substantially, but in the end, that was always his fate. What resonated with me was the idea that Codey would love his sister so much (whether it's justified or not is up to the reader) that he would risk his own life to try to convince her to stop her rampage, and in doing so, it emphasizes the continuing struggle of navis like Codey and Imi to look beyond their purposes in creation.

Let it be known that even while being tortured, Laika is badass. I admit, Pride's role in this chapter was reduced somewhat from what I had in mind, but the chapter was long enough already.

As for Meiru? Her choices here are tough, not knowing how Rockman's behavior is affecting Netto, hurting him.

Strange. I like this chapter, but I find I don't have a lot to say about it.

Chapter Nineteen: Resurrection and Life

But I do have some more to say about this one. Perhaps I have an unhealthy occupation about length, but in length of a chapter, I also see completeness. It's why I resisted making "Savage Memory" as short as it was, but there was just no way to pad that one out and nothing to be gained by doing so. This one, however, benefitted greatly from an expansion, a fleshing out of the issues at hand.

There are a lot of things going on here, and what I really liked about this chapter was touching back with Imi and her father. The flashbacks to Imi's past are, to me, the real action of the chapter, where we see how and why Imi came to be. In it, we see Hideki's own weaknesses and Imi's growing need to figure out what she will do when Masuyo's gone. It's the conflict between those two forces that set everything into motion in the first place. I especially liked writing the battle scene between Imi and Iceman, something I'd had in mind for a while but managed to develop considerably.

And yes, I always had in mind how Hideki forced Imi out, what Imi did to set him off. I hope the clues that have been peppered in throughout the story make sense now.

Do you see the old Imi in how she plays with Codey? I do. That's why she's a good character to write.

Roll's mission in this chapter was a good way to revisit the after-effects of "Reunion" (and yes, we haven't even had the chance to revisit that since). Her making peace with the choir was also necessary to make Imi weak in the last chapter (something I hadn't planned on but embraced as being essential to force Imi back home). It's also a great chance to see some characters we've lost touch with for a while—all the deceased who, as we see, come back in the end.

This chapter also shows Netto and Meiru's relationship at the beginning, how they depend on each other now and support each other. I think ultimately there will be time for them to be kids, but it's not right now, and in a way, that's all right.

Chapter Twenty: Being Human

I had the title "The Prodigal Daughter" planned for this for so long, and I hate myself for not being able to use it, but I had bigger ambitions for this chapter than simply wrap everything up with a bow. In the end, I realized I hadn't spend nearly enough time looking at Rockman, and since he was the one who needed the major epiphany to resolve this story, I needed to spend some time with him.

For the record, this version of chapter twenty is the seventh draft. I don't think any other chapter went past three iterations. That's just how much I played around with how to do this and how to do it right.

It was about on the third or fourth iteration that I came up with the driving idea behind the chapter you see now, but that's not to say it came easily. I balked at the idea of a dream world where everything would be erased. It's hard to avoid the "it's all just a dream" mechanic there. Making it a result of touching Imi helped alleviate that somewhat. Making the events that happened up until he touched her real did, too. Why isn't Netto in the dream as himself? Because he's not the one with massive issues. Rockman is.

You'll notice I call him Saito throughout most of the chapter to reinforce his identity as a human.

The third act of this chapter original had Netto accompany Saito, but I decided this raised too many issues. It shifted too much of the emphasis away from Saito's search and onto their interaction, which isn't what I wanted at that point. Once I cleaned up that act, though, most of the fourth came through on the first go, and I'm very pleased.

I always planned for Nakamura to kill Imi himself as he does here. How he reacts to Saito's visit in the dream, though a figment of Imi's mind, is meant to foreshadow this. The scene in italics is all meant to have really happened, even though neither Rockman nor Imi could've witnessed it, which is why it's not told through Nakamura (vision) but presented directly.

I don't know if I hit the emotional buttons quite right for this chapter. For that, you'll have to tell me. But I couldn't have asked that last paragraph of this chapter to come out any better.

The chapter speaks for itself for the most part, though. This is Rockman's redemption, the final confrontation between the need to fulfill the wishes of others and the desire to find himself, recover what he lost when Roll died. This is the conflict between his navi self and his human identity. The one thing I regret about this chapter was that Imi's actions are all presented from outside her; it's hard to get a clear idea of what she wants, but perhaps we don't need to. She wants forgiveness, and Rockman provides. And that's all we need to see.

Epilogue

So off of a downer ending, I give this, the final circle back to the prologue (and now you understand why I did that). Is it a cheat? A happy ending to soften a bad one? Perhaps. But it also shows people learning from their mistakes, which was always what I meant to happen. They still have to follow through with that message. Hideki will have to be a father to Imi and guide her back once he returns her memories. Perhaps he will try to recover Codey as well. Netto and Meiru will have to grow up together and discover a lot about themselves, but they have a bond forged through tough times. Rockman and Roll will always have each other, and never again will Rockman feel pressure to be something he's not. He can be himself, and so can Imi. Duality reigns, once again.

To my readers, it's been a pleasure and an honor. I hope if some of you are fans of _Star Trek_ or _Ranma ½_ you'll join me as I venture into those arenas; I don't think I'll be back to _Rockman EXE_. I've said what I came to say. Thank you, and good night.


End file.
